Evening star., 1937-07-14
ID. c. MINIMUM PAY
RATES ACE DELAY;
|0LD ONES KILLED
Decision to Rescind Former
Levels Occasions Wait,
Hearings to Be Held.
MERCANTILE INDUSTRY
OBE FIRST ON DOCKET
Labor Bureau Survey Shows Many
Businesses Pay Less Than
Old 1924 Scales.
A decision OF the District Minimum

A decision Of the District Minimum
Wage Board resembling all the old
rates governing wages for women and
children in various local industries, It
was said today, means compare
lively long delay before new rates can
be established.
Mrs. William Kittle, chairman. an
nounced yesterday that hearings will
be held with respect to each industry
affected and that 1t was decided that
the first conference to be called would
be one for the mercantile industry.
This industry employs more women,
perhaps, than any other in the city
While the old rates have been dis
carded, the board will use them as q
guide, however. in determining the
new rates for the estimated $4,000
women and children coming within
It's regulation These rates we're eSe
tablshed prior to 1924, when a Su-
preme Court decision declared the
old Minimum Wage Board unconsti-
tutional.
n ANSCiit Wy LhhNC ny tIit
Women's Bureau of the Labor De-
partment. it was pointed out yester-
day. shows there are a number OF
industries which are now paying SUBJ
stantially less than the former wage
rates in existence IA years ago.
mediation" System.
At Its next meeting, the date OF
which has not yet been set. the newly
stablished Minimum Wage Board
will set up the machinery for its first
conference on the mercantile indus
try. The wage to be fixed will be
agreed upon by nine representatives,
three each OF the employers. the en-
ployes and the public.
In view OF this procedure there was
no way of estimat ting how long it
will take to determine the new mini
mum scales.
The old rates. by which the board
will be guided in its forthcoming
studies, affected selected groups rs
follows: For women in 1he printing
and publishing industry. $3.50 per
week; mercantile establishments, ho-
tells and restaurants. $3.50, and
laundries and. dry-cleaning establish
ments. SIS.
When Congress restored the Mini
mum Wage Board last March, after
the Supreme Court had reversed its
former ruling, 1t was decided to give
the board Jurisdiction over all classes
Of women except professional groups
and those in domestic service. For
this reason the task cut out for the
board in its future conferences is
large one.
Each Industry Given 50 Days.
Each industry. it was said. will be
allowed so days in which to agree on
. minimum wage After the board
has accepted the wage it is to be
advertised and made effective at the
end OF another so days Under maxi
mum procedure 1t would take four
| months before the rate would 60 into
effect. but the board was said to be
OF the opinion that it will require
considerably less than so days to ar
rive At 4 basis of agreement.
The new rates Will 60 into effect on
. progressive scale. 1t was pointed
out. meaning that the industries will
be taken up one by one Under this
procedure those Industries employing
the largest number OF women and
children will be considered first.
The studies necessarily must be
based on actual living costs, and one
of the problems arising Is to deter
mine the individual weekly budget
necessary for women each class
Of industry. The general living cost
figures compiled by the Labor De-
partment. therefore. will not be of
much benefit in the study, as they
are all inclusive.
An early trial Of the right to re-
cover pay etroactively under the
minimum wage law will be held in
Municipal Court in the near future
as the result of . ruling by Judge
Ellen Raedy yesterday.
Judge Raedy held that an af1idavit
Of defense submitted BY the Fairfax
Hotel IN . suit for 3335 in wages
under the revived pay law by Mrs.
Gertrude Perry, laundress, was" ade-
quate." This means that the case
will now be set for trial and that
the woman will not be able to re-
cover If the hotel can prove the al
legations in the at1idavit Of defense.