The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1933-06-29
LABOR CHIEFS
DEMAND JOBS
FOR MILLIONS
Operation of Recovery Act
Causes Clash With
Government.
HIGHER WAGES SOUGHT
Fight on Working Time
Limit Marks Cotton
Code Hearing.
BY RUTH FINNEY
Times Special Writer

w AOI1AAN0 OlN, OuIlt Io.-LdDOl
and the administration disagree
sharply as to objections to be sought
under the national recovery act, il
became evident today as the frs
hearing on a code of fair compe-
tition for the cotton textile industry
drew near its close.
Labor believes the act should bt
administered in way to absorb the
entire twelve and a half million un-
employed into industry.
President Roosevelt and Admins
traitor Hugh Johnson have fixed siz
millions as the number they hope tC
get back to work as a direct result
of the new plan for industry.
Seek Added Employment
Labor would like the maximum
work week fixed low enough so that
industries would be required to en-
ploy more men than they ever have
before. The administration wants
to get back into each industry ar
economically sound number OF
workers.
This difference in point of view
probably will run through hearings
on codes for all industries.
In decided on the length Of the
work week in different industries
the normal employment and the
present deviation from that normal
will be primary factor, General
johnson has made clear. The ad-
ministration does not intend that
the same scale of hours shall apply
to all industries. 1t emphatically
does not intend that the work week
agreed on for the cotton textile in
dustry shall set a precedent fo1
other business groups.
Work Week May Be High
AS a matter of fact, the work week
in cotton textiles probably will be
relatively high because discussion,
so far, has disclosed that it is oper-
ating fairly to maximum capacity
at present.
But want to disabuse the minds
of every one that this will be a
precedent" said General Johnson
after indicating that he will not
favor pleas of labor men that the
forty-hour scale be reduced to
thirty. A scale somewhere between
the two is probable.
1t finally will be fixed according
to whatever set of figures the adj
ministration decides is most reli-
able in rejecting present employ
ment in the textile industry and the
number of workers Immediately
available. Wide differences in esti-
mates have developed.
Sidney Hillman, president of the
Amalgamated Clothing Workers,
and William Green, president of the
American Federation of Labor,
asked the administration WedneS-
day to strike a bold stroke at I'M
employment.
Ask Higher Pay
Both urged establishment of
higher minimum wages Hillman
suggested so cents an hour where
both men and women work, and
more where men alone are. EN-
ployed. Green asked for a mini
mum somewhere between $14 and
SIC a week.
I'VE should emhlazon in bold let
ters over our heads remember
March g." said ,Hillman. I'VE are
forgetting that we must tackle this
problem in a big. way. ....,
The textile industry has many
orders at present. but. these are in
anticipation of better times. I dread
to think of next season.. when there
will be no customers because mil
lions OF unemployed and millions
more. employed on a $40 and $1I
minimum, will not be able to buy
clothes and sheets.
Working Hours Talked
Green said the minimum neces-
sary to support family of five in
health and efficiency at the pres
ent time is $3l a week
Much of the second days hear
ing was consumed in argument as
to whether the number of hours
which machines may run shall be
limited.
Russell E. Watson of johnson and
Johnson, manufacturers of surgical
dressings, argued for removal OF
such limitations, saying that a limit
such as the code proposes, penalties
efficient plants and turns over part
of the business to inefficient ones
thereby increasing consumer cost
unnecessarily.
Both General Johnson and
Deputy Administrator Allen indi-
Gated that they favor establishment
of a limit, primarily to avoid sea-
Sonal overproduction and conse-