Evening star., 1934-06-22
Roosevelt Temporarily Sus.
pends Bacon-Davis Law
Provisions.
KICK-BACK PAY CHARGES
ADMITTED AND DENIED
Difference Of Opinion Is Ex-
pressed Before Walsh Sena.
torial Committee Probe.

While the Senate Labor Committee
was continuing hearings today into
conditions on public building projects
1t received word of a proclamation
issued by President Roosevelt sus-
pending temporarily operation of the
prevailing wage requirements in the
Bacon-Davis law because of confusion
between that law and the require
ments under the recovery act.
Engineer Commissioner Gotwals had
just returned to the witness stand to
complete explanation of various COM
plants the District Government has
received concerning the kick back
practice and other wage questions
during the past year or So He laid
before the committee the proclama-
ton. which he said had been received
at the District Building this morning
The preamble of the presidential
order quoted the sections of the Ba-
con-Davis law and of the industrial
recovery act which relate to wage
standards to be required on Govern
ment building projects.
Confusion Created.
After quoting these two laws, the
order stated that the Secretary OF
Labor and the administrator of pub
lie works have informed me that the
concurrent operation of the aforesaid
provisions of the Davis Bacon act and
the national industrial recovery act
caused administrative confusion and
delay which could be avoided by sus-
pension of the provisions of the Davis
Bacon act"
The suspension is to apply to all
contracts entered into on or after
June l6.
Charges that two painters on a con-
tract job at the National Training
School for Boys on Bladensburg road
had to kick back" part of their pay
during the past two months we're re.
peated and denied at today's hearing
Richard A. Winfield, one of the
painters told substantially the same
story testified to yesterday by Frank
Kneas that they were paid $l-37l2 an
hour, but gave back at the rate Of 37lla
cents an hour.
Paul Lauderbach. foreman on the
paint job, and Benjamin S. Nash
experimenting the contract work
both took the stand this morning ano
denied they had ever received any
kick back" payments from Kneas OIL
Winfield.
Kneas and Winfield also have al
legged in their testimony that Nash
told them the money they were turn
ing back was being given to the in
spector at the school. This charge
was vigorously denied late yesterday
by Bryce P. Holcombe. an employe OF
the training school, who acted as in
spector Of the painting work.
Denies Receiving Money.
Nash told the committee today he
had never received any money from
the two painters, or from the foreman
and also denied having made any
statement about Holcombe
The testimony of the painters was
that on all except one occasion they
turned back the money to Lauder
bach, after Nash had discussed the
subject with them. Lauderbach testi-
fed today that he never discussed
wages with the men. because they
had to be paid at the bate required
by the Government on that work
Asked by Chairman Walsh If he had
ever received any money from the two
painters, Lauderbach replied that he
had not, and added that the only
| money he had received from them
was a small amount he had loaned
them and that they paid it back.
Near the close CT yesterdays ses-
sion Chairman Walsh made the fol-
lowing announcement:
IT want all contractors and others
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