Evening star., 1933-08-02
MODIFICATION SEEN
FOR STEEL CODE
Industry May Ask for Aver
aging of 40-Hour Week
During Six Months.
By the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press
The steel industry today faced the
possibility that the Recovery Admin
istration may ask a modification of its
plan to average over six-month period
the 40-hour week proposed in its code.
With the elimination of the company
union provision, this has become a
principal point of attack by the spokes-
men for organized labor, who asserted
weekly and daily maximum hours of
work should be provided They COM
planned that the six-month average
left the 12-hour day and seven-day
week firmly entrenched in the industry.
While the record of Mondays hear
ings vas analyzed at Recovery Admin
istration headquarters yesterday, the
directors Of the American Iron and Steel
Institute held a day-long meeting at
the Mayf1ower Hotel, which they said
was devoted to a general discussion of
the situation.
Call Upon Lamont.
Gerard Swope an6 Walter c. Teagle
Of the Industrial Advisory Board called
briefly upon Robert p Lamont, presi-
dent Of the institute, who presented the
code Of competition at the hearings.
Hugh 8. johnson the recovery ad-
ministrator. said a period of at least
five days would elapse before the rec
concentrations of his subordinates are
submitted. Then, If he decides the
code must be changed. the representa-
tives Of the industry will be called back
and negotiations looking toward an
agreement will ensue.
Both Secretary of Labor Perkins and
William Green, president Of the Amer
ican Federation of Labor in addition
to terming the wages Of 80 to 40 cents
an hour too low and the 40-hour week
too long. denounced the proposed
method of making the basis of the lat
ter a six-month average
Miss Perkins pleaded that the men
of the steel mills be guaranteed one
days rest a week and protection against
an overlong day She asserted, too,
the plan would make for periods Of
much work followed by periods Of lit
tie work.
Green's Plan Vetoed.
One Of Green's proposals received
definite veto from Administrator John
son yesterday so far as inclusion in the
code Is concerned. This was that it
contain provision for the workmen to
vote secretly on whether they prefer
to join company unions or organiZa-
tionS formed by themselves
Such q proposal. johnson said. lies
outside the authority conferred upon
him by the recovery law.
Green contended the action Of the
manufacturers in eliminating the COM
pany union clause, with an accompany
ing statement that they would do what
ever they could to continue this method
of dealing with employees. showed them
to be not conforming to the spirit as
well as the letter of the law.
In connection with the company
union controversy between organized
labor and the steel industry, a state
ment made by johnson was regarded as
significant. The recovery law plainly
specifies, he said. that to obtain the ad-
vantages of a code the industry must be
ready to bargain collectively with what
ever union or other organization the
workmen may form.
The attitude of the industry. holding
the company union to be the best
method of settling the joint problems
of employer and employe. was empfs-
sized yesterday by statement from
George H. Verify, director of the In
stitute. He said some newspapers had
enormously interpreted the elimination
Of the company union clauses as mean
ing that form of organization had been
abolished from the industry.