The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1933-05-08
CONGRESS TO
RUSH REVIVAL
Bills ACTION
Roosevelt Speech Is Added
Spur to Work on Job
and Wage Measures.
HIGHER PAY STRESSED
President Also Emphasizes
Need for Eliminating
Cut Throat System.
BY RUTH FINNEY
Times STAFF Writer

WASHINGTON, May 8-With
definite assurance from President
Roosevelt that the fundamental
task of securing for the worker
decent wages, short working hours,
and new jobs through rehabilitation
of industry will be undertaken at
this session of congress, the two
groups studying these problems
moved forward today with fresh en-
thusiasm
The house labor committee ex-
poets to report a short work week
minimum wage bill not later than
Thursday
Senator Robert F. Wagner Dem,
N y, chairman of the group which
is working on bill to aid industrial
recovery, expects to lay the COM
pleted measure before President
Roosevelt Tuesday, if conferences
being held today with representa-
tives of organized labor result in
agreement on sections of the bill
relating 70 collective bargaining.
Gives Definite Program
The Presidents address to the
country Sunday night unequiyocally
acknowledged that his program for
recovery is incomplete without leg
islation on wages and hours of
labor and legislation to check I'M
fair competition in industry.
An outline of his stand on these
subjects made public in addressing
the Chamber of Commerce of the
United States Thursday, was filled
in with definite recommendation
In his talk to the people.
Wages were put first in the Presi-
dents discussion of this program
Sunday night, as they were in his
earlier address.
After listing job-making legisla-
ton already proposed to congress.
the President said:
"Well-considered and conserva-
tive measures likewise will be pro-
posed which will attempt to give
to the industrial workers of the
country a more fair wage return,
prevent cut-throat competition, and
unduly long hours for labor, and at
the same time encourage each in
dustry to prevent overproduction. /"
Partnership, Not Control
Later in his talk the President
repudiated the phrase control of
industry" which has been used to
describe plans for eliminating I'M
fair practices, and suggested in
stead that the plan is for "a part
nership" between government and
industry not partnership in
profits for the profits still would go
to private citizens, but rather a
partnership in planning, and a
partnership to see that the plans
are carried out"
Illustrating his meaning with a
reference to the cotton industry. he
indicated that he will recommend
some relaxation in enforcement of
the antitrust laws, while retaining
the protective features of those
laws.
1T probably is true that 90 per
cent of the cotton manufacturers
would agree to eliminate starvation
wages, would agree to stop long
hours of employment. would agree
to stop child labor, would agree to
prevent an overproduction that
would result in unstable SURPRISES,
said the President.
Would Halt Unfair Methods
But what good is such agreement
If the other 10 per cent of the
cotton manufacturers pay starvation
wages, require long hours. employ
children in their mills. and turn out
burdensome SURPRISES?
The unfair 10 per cent could pro-
duce goods so cheaply that the fair
meet the unfair conditions. Here is
where government comes in.
Government ought to have the
right and will have the right, after
surveying and planning for an in
dustry, to prevent, with the assist
ance of the overwhelming ma jority
of that industry, unfair practice and
to enforce this agreement by the
authority of government.
were intended to prevent the crea-
ton Of monopolieS and to forbid un-
reasonable profits to those monop-
olies.
That purpose of the antitrust
laws must be continued, but these
laws never we're intended to en-
courage the kind of unfair competi-
ton that results in long hours
starvation wages. and overproduc-
ton"
Wage Clause to Be Added
The subcommittee of the house
labor committee which is redraft-
ing the Short-work week minimum
wage bill. according to present in
dications. will add the minimum
wage provisions so urgently recon-
mended by Secretary of Labor
Frances Perkins, and other sug-
gestions of hers TO make the bill
more flexible and more enforce
able
Apparently it will include some
form of foreign embargo clause dis
approved by the administration. but
t1lS easily HiglO oe elIHlIIldleu OF
the floor of the house, in spite OF
committee action.
Sunday conferences on the in
~dustrial recovery bill failed to iron
out all differences between econ
omists and business men working or
it. Conflicts still exist as to extent
Of government power to be invoked
with business men urging that the
major part of the program be left
to trade associations.