Evening star., 1936-01-06
.LAD0R4NDUSTRY
PARLEY CQNvENES
40-Hour Week Expected to
Be Proposed Before Co. .
ordinator Berry. a
BACKGROUND

DdChUhOCND
At George Berry's first labor-tn.
dustry conference, December ., A.
p. Hddke OF Chicago, representa-
the OF National Furniture Manu-
tactureTs' Association, called the
co-ordindtor an unqualified liar"
Berry replied: you're another, and
II you come up here I'u make you
eat it, eat it, eat it," TtDo thu
sand business and labor representa-
ttJes attended, but little tods accom-
pliShed totoard Berry's ,0tsh to es-
tabltsh an industrial council to
merge the desires OF both groups.
BY the Associated Press
Declaring he seeks industrial tram
guilty and justice" Co-ordinator
George L. Berry convened a meeting
today to promote mutual helpfulness"
of business and labor.
Although his first meeting last
month was marked by a row, he as
serted last night that 100 industrial
lists and 30 labor leaders would attend
today as a Business Labor Industrial
Council.
Reports we're heard that some dei4-
gates might suggest a 40-hour weex
as method of encouraging pros
perity.
Berry is President Roosevelt's Co
ordinator for industrial progress"
Limiting of Hours Imperative.
The suggestions for the 40-hour-
week drive, it was learned, originated
from some of the delegates who will
form the council. Berry also has cited
figures which, he said, showed busi-
ness gains have outpaced absorption
of the unemployed and has declared
some plan for limiting the work week
is imperative.
1t VS. reported the 40-hour plan
might be offered as an alternative to
the 3o-hour week proposed by organ
lied labor, with caution exercised tc
avoid an unconstitutional invasion #
State lines.
II no more than Endorsement OF the
loea could be received from Congress
with only the most limited kind of
administrative machinery, those ia
Voring the plan believe considerable
would be accomplished.
The initial success of the drive wss
expected to depend entirely on how
forceful the newly-organized council
becomes. Ofhcials said they would
make no claim it is representative of
all industry.
Business elements which criticized
the first conference contend the larg-
est industries will not be represented
on the council, pointing to the an
nounced opposition of automobile.
steel, textile and other great indus
trial groupings.
Comments on Large Task.
Berry made this comment:
OF course, under normal circum
stances, the task Of composing the
differences between men Of INDUSTRY
would be big enough, but to do it un-
der present conditions enlarges the
problem.
But the fact remains that any ef-
fort to promote industrial tranquility
and justice is always in order. The
need for it is more pronounced now
than at any previous time in the Ma
tons history.
Those who declined to discuss
these problems must accept the re-
sponsibility for their lack Of interest
in the principles of cooperation ana
good will
For myself, J shall continue with
out fear in the process of intoxicating
the spirit of mutual helpfulness and
justice in industry, and will adhere
without reservations to the principle
that industry has but one reason for
existence-to give life and happiness
to the human family"