The Waterbury Democrat., 1935-05-28
Organized Labor Is
Seeking Congress
CONTINUED from Page u

ing here authorized their legislative
committee to proceed with prepara-
ton of amendments to the Guffey
bill which would not conflict with
the supreme court findings.
President Lewis Talks
President John L. Lewis, of the
United Mine workers, said the soft
coal industry must be protected by
sterilization. The wage contracts
covering most Of the coal fields
remain in force until June II, in
dependent of MIRA, put Lewis said
his men will not work after that
date without new agreements.
The joint wage Subcommittee Is
expected today to request formal
abandonment of negotiations for
new contracts, pending action by
congress on the Guffey bill or other
legislation.
Labor leaders agreed the Wagner
bill. which already was conceded
good chances of passage. was now
in better position due to aban.
donment of MIRA, provided It Is not
constitutionaily vulnerable. They
were convinced its provisions
would not conflict with supreme
court findings against federal con.
troll over hours and wages Of work.
ers in both interstate and intra-
state commerce.
80 Hour Week Bill
Sen. Hugo L. Black. D., Ala.
said he would press Immediately
for enactment of his 30-hour week
bill. which has backing of the
American Federation of Labor. The
bill. he said. appears to be the only
way left open by the supreme court
for the regulation of hours in in
dustry.
The legal fate Of President Roos-
evelt's social security program
seemed doubtful today to some OBJ
servers. although labor spokesman
declared it would be pressed re.
gardless of the possibility of q later
ruling by the supreme court against
1t.
Little MIRA Proposed
The construction industry, which
normally employs more than g..
100000 workmen, ID preparing to
submit to congress q measure
which would establish a 'little
NRA," giving the industry a sep.
arate administrator, and licensing
contractors and retailers Of mate
rials.
Attorneys who have worked out
legal phrasing of the proposal are
reported to favor issuing licenses
on the basis that the ficensee uses
or distributes materials made only
by manufacturers operating under
standard wages and hours similar
to those Of MIRA. A similar plan Is
under consideration for distribution
trades.
Petroleum producers had sep
arate control as their NRA code
was administered by special
agency under the interior depart
ment. A new measure. embracing
most of the code provisions, and
excluding the clauses which the
supreme court declared were I'M
constitutional delegations of pow.
err, is expected to be drafted soon.
New England Industries
Boston, May 2S-(UP)-Com-
pany officials and hundreds Of
thousands of workers alike ex-
pressed fears today concerning the
future of the New England textile
and shoe Industries as result Of the
passing of the NRA.
Manufacturers were concerned
over possibility that states without
regulations on hours and wages
would return to ''peon" labor con-
ditions. giving them a tremendous
advantage over competitors In this
region.
At q labor meeting in historic
Faneuil hall lats night, members
of the u. s. supreme court who
ruled unanimously on the uncon-
stitutionality of the MIRA were re-
ferred to as those nine old gem
tiemen." and a wave of strikes was
predicted.
Demand ON Congress
Industrial leaders demanded that
congress immediately pass legisla-
ton prohibiting child labor and es.
tablishing minimum wages and
h. urs.
Harold Keith, ofilcial OF Brock
ItJu shoe manufacturing firm and
member OF the industry's code au-
thority, was to leave for Washing
ton to discuss results Of the court
decision.
II am leaving for Washington
Immediately, where the code au-
thority Will meet shortly" he said.
''it IL absolutely essential that con-
gress Immediately take action to
force all the states to q uniform
scale OF wages and hour. Child la
Dor should also be abolished by the
congress. None Of tho shoe manu-.
facturers Is sorry 10 lose such code
provisions ~ price fixing and Ger.
tain obnoxious measures ~ 10 un'
fasr trade practices.
Hours. Wages kecesssry
"But all Of them, IN this state ~
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