Evening star., 1937-06-08
DEFENDS
WAGE-H0UR BILL
Alabama Senator Answers
Opposition in National
Radio Forum.

1ended by Senator Black, Democrat, OF
Alabama, co-autlor of the measure,
In an address last night.
He spoke in the National Radio
Forum. sponsored by The Star and
broadcast over nationwide network
Of the National Broadcasting Co.
Senator Black made public reply to
objections voiced against the bill sew
eral days ago by Senator Vandenberg,
Republican, Of Michigan.
His first objection" said the Ala
bama Senator, was that Congress was
acting 'pell NELL that there was no
pressing need for doing anything about
Federal regulation of hours and wages
now. and that, therefore, we should
proceed leisurely with the subject. He
suggested that we leave wages and
hour to the States for the time be-
Ing and study the problem with all its
related implications for at least an
other year
Repudiated in 1896.
''This Republican 'do-nothing-yet'
policy was repudiated by the American
voters in 1896.
"Of course, to an old-line Repub-
iican Senator, there is no present
emergency about the condition Of that
third of the population who earn less
than $1,000 year. There never was
any old-line Republican emergency
about such people. Reactionary Re-
publicans and Liberty Leaguers have
never been concerned about that part
Of our population.
But cannot agree. Nor do think
that the vast majority of the American
people entertain any such conception
Of the indefinite and interminable
postponement of the interests OF the
working population of this country"
The text Of Senator Blacks address
follows:
Over four years ago when I first
introduced in the Senate bill for
. ive-day, six-hour working week I
was given the courtesy Of speaking to
the national radio audience over this
came network of The Star Forum.
At that time I said:
"One thing is clear in all the tumult
OF conflicting views and clashing
theories-our people will not permit
the starvation Of these unemployed
millions. Two courses are open to
prevent this. 1t will not stand delay
In some way they should be given
q chance to earn an honest living by
work. Failing this We must broaden,
expand and probably perpetuate \ sys-
tenn Of public care. We are now un-
mtstakably at the crossroads, where
We must choose between the evils OF
dole system and some method Of
supplying work for our people
Subsequent events-the continuing
magnitude Of the relief problem even
In the midst Of our new prosperity
have borne out that prediction.
The Black -Connery bill. introduced
two weeks ago, is an attempt to pro-
vide that chance for private work
my frst bill was intended to give.
America Getting Action.
The people Of the United States
have long been ready and anxious
to protect American workers from
Bweatshop hours and sweatshop wages.
Hearings now are going on before
. joint committee OF the House and
Senate on this definite proposal to
meet the problem. Every person who
has expressed q desire to testify has
been invited to be heard. At last
the American people are getting action
on this subject which has so long
been close to their hearts
This bill has been introduced for
Action at this session Of Congress be-
cause Franklin D. Roosevelt and the
Democratic party keep their promises
and carry out their pledges.
This bill keeps as plain a promise
as party platform and a party
candidate ever made to this Nation.
And 1t carries out a voters mandate
to perform that promise unprecedented
In American history.
I was one Of the members Of the
Platform Committee at the last
Democratic National Convention. Il
remember the enthusiasm with which
the committee and the convention
drafted and adopted this plank for
the Democratic platform. 1--WE know
that minimum wages, maximum
hours, child labor and working con-
uitions In industry cannot be ade-
quately handled by 48 separate State
Legislatures, 48 separate State Ad-
ministrations and 48 separate State
courts. We have sought and
will continue to seek to meet these
problems through legislation within
the Constitution"
To an American people who had
eeen starving in the midst Of plenty,
who were paying heavy taxes for re-
lief OF the unemployed while sweat
shops were working longer and longer
hours. and too frequently paying
smaller and smaller wages, that plank
represented comman sense as well as
humanity.
Presidents Promise Recalled.
In his closing campaign speech at
Madison Square Garden, President
Roosevelt proclaimed: "Of course we
will continue to seek to improve work.
Ing conditions for the workers of
America-to reduce hours over-long,
TO increase wages that spell starva-
ton, to end the labor Of children, to
wipe out sweatshops For all
these things we have only just begun
to fight"
Ycu remember the way he said
that. He said 1t as If he meant it
and as if the Democratic party meant
1t. And 27,0oo,0Oo people believed
that he-and the Democratic party
meant it!
But Madison Square wasn't the first
time in the campaign when he made
that promise. He had made SUBJ
stantially the same promise at Omaha
when he addressed the farmers of the
country and promised intelligent re-
organization Of the farmers domestic
market. In that speech at Omaha he
pointed out that one OF the big an
swers to the problems Of the farming
population was to give the mass Of