Evening star., 1934-08-29
LABOR DRAWS UP
ORDER TO STRIKE.
Mills Silent on Acceptance
of Farley Bid-GarriSon
Awaits Developments.

Continued From First Page)
strike. German disclosed he had word
the Amoskeag Manufacturing Co. Of
Manchester, N. H., had already shut
down its chemical departments.
Ponder Allied Call.
The Executive Council of the U. T.
w meets tomorrow to decide whether
to call out silk, rayon and wooden
workers as well as cotton operatives.
The union leaders say if this is done.
the strike will involve between 700,-
600 and 100000 persons.
The full membership of the Ma
tional Labor and Cotton Textile
Boards discussed at length yesterday
the possibility Of averting the strike,
or of bringing about settlement if
it occurs.
Meanwhile, both union and admin
istration officials pondered the pos
sible psychological effect upon the
textile strike situation of the defiance
last night by the cotton garment in
duStry of a presidential edict short
ening hours and increasing wages for
some 100000 workers.
The order, effective October 1, re-
duced hours from 40 to SO weekly.
and provided a corresponding 10 per
cent increase in wage rates. While
the industries are entirely unrelated.
the textile union leaders saw in the
order a possible precedent through
which they might ultimately obtain
similar benefits.
At the N. r. A., however, it was
predicted that the cotton garment in
dustry would fail to overturn the
Presidents order.
Legal Action Weighed.
This was the first important chal-
lenge to the Presidents authority to
change the hour and wage provisions
of codes. 1t was decided upon at New
York last night by representatives of
the industry who agreed to take
whatever legal action was necessary.
The President ordered hours reduced
from 40 to SO without a reduction in
wages.
The order will go into effect Oc-
tober l." newspaper men we're told
emphatically today by Sidney Hill
man, president of Amalgamated
Clothing Workers of America, and a
member of the N. r. A. Labor Ad-
viSory Board.
1t is the result of an investigation
Of several months in which it was
found there had been no re-employ-
ment in the industry. Other wearing
apparel industries have 35 or 36 hour
codes, so why not this one?
1T was evident that a downward
revision was necessary if we were to
live up to our trust to labor.
THE workers have an excellent
case in the court of public opinion.
Labor is 100 per cent behind the
Presidents order"
Consumer Cost Disputed.
Dean G. Edwards, deputy admin
istrator in charge of the cotton gar
ment code, said he could not agree
with the estimate made at the New
York meeting that the order shorten
ing hours from 40 to SO a week would
increase consumer costs by 8 per cent.
N. r. A. has insisted it would be less
than 2 per cent.
However" Edwards added, eff the
industry can show concluSively that
the order should not be made effective
that it will result in hardship and dis
elimination and is unfair and unnec-
essary, I am sure some change would
be made"
Raymand W. Walsh, Washington
attorney, was appointed by the manu-
facturerS to take the legal steps
deemed advisable. He is expected
back tomorrow from New York.
Cotton Mills Close.
SELMA, Ala, August 20 PD.-Sun-
set Cotton Mill here and Csnebrake
Cotton Mill at Uniontown, each en-
ploying 225 persons, were closed yes
terday, but no specific reason was
given.
Last month, when a Statewide
strike was called, officials of the mills
stated the plants were operating. at a
loss, but would remain open as long
as employees wanted.