Evening star., 1934-08-22
Working Week Reduced and
Wages Maintained by
Code Amendment-Piece
Workers Get Flat Increase
of 10 Per Cent.
PERMITS EMPLOYMENT
OF 10000 NOW IDLE
Raise in Cost to Consumer Esti-
mated at 2 Per Cent-Green
Backs Proposed Strike Looming
in Textile Industry-Pledges
Aid.
ny the Associated Press.

By the Associated Press.
N. r. A. today announced presiden-
tial approval of reduction of weekly
work hours from 40 to 36 without any
cut In weekly wages for the 200, 900
workers in the cotton garment in
dustry.
President Roosevelt signed an exec
Gtive order late yesterday amending
= the cotton garment code to that end.
The change is effective October /.
N. r. A. said the effect of the order
would be equivalent not only to an
increase Of about IL per cent in the
hourly pay rate and q rise Of about
10 per cent above May / levels in
piece rates, but would also permit re-
employment Of more than 10000
workers.
Consumer Cost Low.
The direct cost to the consumer Of
the shorter hours, higher wage rates
and unemployment of the many
thousands of workers was estimated
by officials at less than 2 per cent
The executive order said 1t appears
the code changes, adopted after hear
ings, will promote the policy and pur-
poses of the national industrial recov-
cry act.
Concurrently, another important
development came In the labor field
today, when William Green, president
of the American Federation Of Labor,
indorsed the proposed general strike
IN the textile industry and pledged the
support of the organization.
Strike Not Mentioned.
Although the code changes were not
mentioned .oficially as having any
connection with the cotton textile
strike threat, cognizance had been
taken of proposed sympathy walkouts
by other branches Of the cotton textile
industry.
Sidney Hillman, head of the ANAL
garnated Clothing Workers Union and
q member of the N. r. A. Labor Ad-
visory Board, said he regarded the 10
per cent cut In hours as one Of the
most important steps taken by N. r. A.
to increase employment.
Action by the President" said the
N. r. A. statement, "culminates efforts
by the National Recovery Administra-
ton not only to raise wages, but to
overcome serious conflicts between the
cotton garment code and the dress
manufacturing, mems clothing, under
garments, coat and suit, and blouse
and skirt codes.
"The latter codes all had more
stringent hour and wage provisions.
Also there was an overlapping Of
definitions and other conditions lead
ing to severe competitive situations
arising between allied lines Of mer-
chandise manufactured under the cot
ton garment code and under the other
codes"
100000 Affected.
The zoo, 900 workers affected are en-
ployed in some 1000 plants in a
States.
N. r. A. said the Presidents action
also would provide for better inter-
code competitive condition in the ap-
parel and needlework industry, since
the cotton garment code with its IA
subdivisional industries Is now brought
into line with the other codes" With
few exceptions, needlework and ap-
parel industries are now on IS or
36 hour week.
Cotton garments affected by the
code amendment include mems work
shirts and other work clothing, mems
pajamas, boys shirts, house dresses,
sheep-lined leather garments, oil gar
ments, maids uniforms and collars.
Among other important amendments
to the code, N. r. A. said, are liberal
izing measures in the section relating
to learners and employees who are
handicapped. The code also now in
cludes standard price-cutting and
emergency price-fxing clauses.
The amended code also includes a
section which N. r. A. said would
tend to hasten action upon applica-
tions for exemption. thus affording
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