Evening star., 1937-05-26
WAGE-HOUR BILL
FACES HARD FIGHT
Bloc Forming to Try to Keep
Board From Allowing
Exemptions.
BY JOHN c. HENRY.


Less than 48 hours after introduce
ton of the bills in Congress, trouble
was rolling up on the administration
wage and hour legislation from several
directions today.
Threatening speedy acceptance OF
the legislation first was mounting
determination by groups in both
chambers to relieve the proposed Labor
Standards Board of widely flexible
authority in granting exemptions and
approving such varying standards as
geographical wage and hour differ
entails.
To this end, coalition of DEM
ocrats and Republicans from all Sec
tions except the South is being sought.
The Southern States, sole beneficiaries
OF dlfferentlals as they were imposed
during days of the N r. A., admittedly
are desirous of retaining the privileges
OF the longer working week and lower
hourly wages In their growing indus
trial development.
That pressure already has been
brought on administration leaders by
the Southern bloc was indicated in
the reference of President Roosevelt
to geographical diversities" in his
message preceding introduction of the
bill, and similar reference In the
Identical statements submitted by Sen
ator Black and Representative Con-
merry on introduction of the measure.
Connery Wants Even Break"
Questioned today, however, Connery,
who is chairman of the House Labor
Committee, declared he would prefer
an even break" for all sections, ex-
planning that he meant the same wage
ana hour standards. Representing an
industrial district in Massachusetts,.
Connery fought the differential battle
frequently during N. R. A. days.
Opposition to this particular dis
cretlonary power is promised during
the hearings scheduled to begin next
Tuesday, since labor always has stood
united against any differentiation be-
tween North and South, and such
groups as the National Association of
Manufacturers also have taken a
similar stand. During hearings on the
Walsh Healey bill Secretary of Labor
Perkins likewise placed herself on
record against the differential.
In the last analysis, therefore, the
Issue will be test of the sure voting
strength of the Southern bloc against
the voluble but less certain floor
strength of opponents.
In the matter of exemption of spe-
cif1c industries from being subject to
the proposed law, Chairman Connery
declared today he is attempting to
line up his committee solidly against
the expected appeals.
''As soon as We start letting whole
Industries out from under this thing
we will weaken and maybe ruin the
whole legislation" he said. Il am
going to fight such requests-and I
expect there will be plenty of them
and hope the committee will stand
by me-
Would Limit Hearings.
In an effort to keep such requests
to minimum, Connery said the two
committees would try to limit appear
ances at the hearings to key men only
in labor and industry.
IF we get (William) Green and
(John u Lewis, we'll have all of
labor and we get some key men from
steel. automobiles, textiles and a few
others we will have all of important
industry. Then there will be such
groups as the N. A. M. and the
Chamber of Commerce. 1t shouldn't
be necessary to hear many more"
One other source of possible op-
position to major parts of the bill
Is causing some concern to admin
istration leaders; namely, the Amer
ican Federation of Labor and its per-
sistent stand against the setting of
minimum wages for men.
With President Green already
non-committal on the legislation, it
is feared that the federations IA
miliar objections to the wage pro-
visions might hinder plans for pas
sage. On previous occasions, most re-
Gently in connection with efforts to
pass minimum wage law for men
IN New York, the federation ap-
peared in opposition on grounds that
an eventual corollary might be leg
islative efforts to fix maximums.
Under present plans for joint hear
1ngs to begin next week, the legis-
lation still is not expected to reach
the floor of either house before July
!. allowing two weeks for open hear
angs and two more for executive con-
sideration before the bill is reported.