The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1933-07-31
Industry WithdrawS Its
Code Provision for Com
pany' SetupS.
CALLED PATRIOTIC MOVE
Secretary Perkins Declares
That Bargaining Action
Is Recovery Aid.
BY II. o. THOMPSON,
United Press stan Correspondent

w ASAlNG YIN, July Of.
Organized labor, aided by
the recovery administration,
won a significant victory to-
day in its fight to give the
100000 steel mill workers of
the country the right of coll
lective bargaining when the
steel industry withdrew a
code of fair competition pro-
vision aimed at retaining the
company-union setups of the
industry.
Elimination of the most contro-
versial issue raised by the steel code
came shortly after hearings opened
on the proposed code for the lead
ing American industry.
Recovery Administrator Hugh
Johnson's assertion that the pro-
vision was incompatible with the
recovery program resulted in the
directors of the Iron and Steel In
stitute agreeing in a hastily called
meeting to delete the progision.
Hailed as Patriotic Action
The action Immediately was
hailed by Labor Secretary Frances
Perkins. who congratulated the in
dustry on its patriotic and far
sighted policy
The right of collective bargaining
has been a fundamental tenet of the
recovery administration. and pre-
vious indications that the industry
would seek in its code to retain the
present company sponsored unions
had been condemned sharply by or
ganized labor.
The provision which was with
drawn attempted TO restrict collec-
/ tive bargaining by steel workers to
the so-called company unions.
Robert P. Lamont. former COM
merce secretary, now head Of the
Steel Institute, first expressed the
industry's willingness" to delete the
provision.
He explained the code in detail,
and estimated that for the industry
TO operate at the 1929-l930 level
424,083 employees would be required
under fOrty-hour week.
Helps Unite Democracy"
Secretary Perkins said she felt
the industry's change in policy was
one more step in the direction OF
making the people of the United
States into united democracy
MISS Perkins. just back from a
tour OF steel mills. said that Of the
workers employed in the steel in
dustry in 1929, 10000 were now
out of work. She referred 10 the
remarkable resiliency" in the steel
industry.
Steel activity" she said has
risen from now 1914 per cent of
capacity operations in March. a.
period we hate 10 think about. 10
around Is per cent Of capacity In
some plants the capacity has risen
63 per cent, but she said the aver
age was around 81 per cent"
Wants Upward Wage Revision
Employment has improved AT a
slower rate than productive activ-
lty, she pointed out.
Without prejudicing the price
maximum" she said 1T is pertinent
TO consider how 10 strike balance
between the largest extent of em-
ployment Of the industry urem-
ployed and efficient operations.
The industry has, indeed. been
a leader in the spread-the-vork
movement, and now should show
similar leadership in the present
movement OF combined ldeouate
work and living wage restoration
MISS Perkins, in calling attention
10 the slower improvement in en-
ployment, said employment has ad-
vanced in the industry from 1877 700
In March to $4,000 in June and
about 100000 in july.
Miss Perkins asked upward re-
vision OF the whole scale Of mini
mum wages, which proposed 25 tn
~ cents per hour in twentv-one
separate geographical districts She
noted that the 1929 average mini
mum was 40 cents per hour for a
week OF forty-eight, sixty or even
longer hours.
Wants Spies" Eliminated
suggest putting the wage on a
weekly basis to the individual which
VIII produce an income adequate 10
permit substantial purchasing on
the part OF the average common "a
OoIer family, she said. and
suggest a reconsideration of tbe
wage rates IN terms OF an earnest
EFFORT to approach as quickly as pos-
siole 70 the purchasing power OF
1923. This will mean a considerable
increase over the present proposal
OF 40 cents an hour or SIS for a fuII
iorty-hour week in the highest wage
districts"
Secretary Perkins also recon-
mended.
Abolition Of the seven-dav week.
Elimination OF the twelve hour
DAY and in its place a maximum OF
not more than eight hours. She
said mill hands almost invariably
told her six hours is enough. lady"
Elimination of company espionage