Evening star., 1933-07-14
EnergencyCode
Is Believed
Imminent.
MORE BUYING
POWER SOUGHT
Sl4 Minimum Paw
for Labor: SIS
for Clerks.
BY the Associated Press.

Imminence of action by Presi
dent Roosevelt for establishment
of national minimum wages and
maximum working hours was in
dicated today, but the method re-
manned to be decided.
Two motivating factors appar-
emily led in that direction, the
desire to boost purchasing power
steadily and simultaneously to
guard against excess production
under way in attempts to take
advantage Of expected higher
prices.
The plan, which would be vol
untary, would call for a general
weekly level of 35 hours work at
S14 minimum wage for labor, and
40 hours with SIS minimum for
clerical and store help.
Johnson Assemblies Data.
The prospect is for general
call for business and industry to
join under temporary, voluntary
agreement to such a limit of
working hours and wages.
At a press conference Hugh S. John
son, industrial administrator, said he
believed he would shortly ask the Presi-
dent t. issue such a call, and that
meantime he was gathering a ire
mendous volume of information needed
to reach decision.
The blanket agreement would be
effective until individual industrial
codes, which set up trade organizations
to improve labor conditions and pur-
chasing power and to eliminate un-
desirable practices such as overproduc-
ticn and price cutting. can be approved.
The idea back OF. the general code is
to get the purchasing power of Amer
| ican lab1rers and white collar workers
increased Immediately, so that before
hot weather is over the upward spiral
sought by President Roosevelt will have
substantial basis.
Codes have been coming in fast.
May Drop Deadline Idea.
1t is probable the administration will
drop the idea of calling for submission
of every agreement by definite early
date. but the physical limitations OF
time needed to get each agreement IN
operation would prevent really general
application of wage raising and hour
reduction until Fall at least.
Already. however, the majority of the
textile industries have voluntarily
asked to put such limits into effect
simultaneously with the first code pro-
mulgated by the President, which Will
go into force for the cotton trade next
Monday.
johnson said it looked as though
virtually all the spinning and weaving
industry of the country, cotton. rayon,
silk and wool will be on the 40-hour
basis next week.
Meanwhile, a special section of the
Interior Department was organized
overnight to prosecute any companies
moving illegally produced oil IN inter
state commerce.
Louis R. CLAWS, departmental dlrec-
tor of Investigations. will have lmme-
diate charge and Charles Fahy. an as
SLSldIlI Will UC dSoOSAoNNd "4Nit
him A statement of warning ana
policy will be issued later today.
Wool Code Nearly Ready.
Virtually all of the spinning and
weaving industry now have been brought
together except wool. which, Johnson
understood, was very nearly ready with
a code He said it was suggested to have
a general agreement between the IN
dustries and President Roosevelt, as
provided by the recovery law.
The administrator said the code sub
mitted yesterday by coal operators
from IA States had not been assigned
a hearing date. because as yet it Is un-
signed, but that it probably would be
taken up after hearings on the Oil
agreement submitted by the American
Petroleum Institute, which will begin
July "a 1t originali-M VIZ set for July
20. but was set baKi to allow further
conferences.
X M Simpson. a deputy admin
istrator. will be in charge of both coal
and oil proceedings. because they are
related as fuel products.
Johnson said he understood other
codes for coal covering up to l9 per
cent of the entire industry would be
in before a hearing is held. Add1-
tional oil codes also are expected
Questioned about the steel agree
ment. promised for several days, john
son said he had fresh promises that it