Evening star., 1935-02-19
WAGNER DEMANDS
PREVAILING WAGE
New Dealer InfIicts Heavy
Loss to Work-ReIief
Bills Progress.
BY the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
The New Deal suffered a major
loss in the critical struggle over the
s4,880, 100000 work-relief bill today
when Senator Wagner of New York,
an administration stalwart. demanded
payment of prevailing local wages on
public works projects.
He told the Senate that II the
3.500000 employables intended to be
given jobs were paid on relief basis
the wage policy Of the New Deal will
be thrown into reverse"
Every objective of public works will
be defeated" Wagner said
The prevailing wage amendment was
only one of many obstacles faced by
administration forces. They also
sought strength to override a currency
expansion amendment of Senator
Thomas, Democrat, of Oklahoma.
p. w. A. Given s45, 200, 900.
AS Wagner spoke, President Roose-
welt allotted the Relief Administra-
ton another s45,OOO,O0O of public
works funds to help care for the needy
until new appropriation is available
This made $145,000,000 available for
February, which originally was esti-
mated to require Sl50,000,000.
Secretary Ickes said $15,000000 re-
mained unexpended in the P. w. A.
housing fund, from which Mr.. Roose-
welt took the money.
Ickes said also that a partial re-
port from 90 States had outlined
another Sl00O,0O0,OOO of possible
projects for which the $4,000 600, 900
work fund could be used Already
on file were applications for S2,000,-
100000 of non-Federal and $1,000
100000 of Federal projects. Complete
reports on the survey must be filed
by March /.
La Toilette Asks $4,000, ,00O, 900.
Another Senate development was
an amendment by La Toilette of Wis
consin to boost the relief appropria-
ton to o,o00,oo0,0OO. He hoped to
get substantial support from liberal
elements on both sides of the chamber
La Follette's proposal would add
$5200,000,000 to the public works
fund of S4,000,0 900 900 carried in the
bill. 1t would extend the life OF the
present public works act and make
liberal changes in its form.
Wagner who has been consulted fire.
quently in the framing of important
New Deal legislation, said unless pre-
vailing wages are paid on the works
projects, as demanded by the American
Federation of Labor, morale will be
lowered, not restored; wages will go
down, not up: purchasing power will
shrivel, not expand; business will be
demoralized, not stabilized"
And the business machine will be
driven back into the deepest trough
OF depression" he added.
Charges $3.50 Per Cent Handicap.
Referring to testimony before con-
gresSional committees that the admin
istration planned to pay in work
wages around $50 a month to the
3,500,000 now on relief, Wagner said.
No one denies that this would estab-
lish rate of compensation ranging
from 80 to so per cent below that pre-
vailing in private industry"
II the public projects under this
resolution set rates of pay for full
time work below those prevailing else
where" he continued, private indus
try will find this lower level with the
certinty that the river finds the sea-"
Senator McCarran, Democrat, of
Nevada has reoffered a modified
amendment requiring the payment of
prevailing wages, but permitting diff
ferent rates in various localities. His
original proposal was defeated in COM
mittee, but in its place was adopted
an amendment by Senator Russell,
Democrat, of Georgia permitting pay
ment Of lower or security" wages
until such time as 1t Is shown they
are bringing down private wages.
Then the President would be required
to increase the rate to that being paid
nv nriVatp en1nlouerc