Evening star., 1937-06-01

tains and what
extraordinary power over the life OF
the citizen will be assumed by the
Federal Government in the event the
bill should become law.
In the first place, the bill empowers
the commission Of five who are to ad-
minister the proposed law to include
in its scope whatever ClaSSiflcations
it may desire. AS finally introduced
in Congress, the bill does not say
whether employers of less than 20 or
less than IS or less than 8 will be
covered by the measure but leaves
this to be determined in the future,
presumably by Congress, but with
broad powers to the commission to
make changes.
It is for this reason difficult to say
now many workers will be affected by
the minimum wage provisions, be-
cause so many industries already have
what is conceded to be the minimum
that probably will be adopted, namely
around SIS week, and many in
duStries likewise have a work week of
20 hours or less.
The measure, however is not merely
means of controlling minimum wages
and maximum hours. 1t is broad
enough so that, with slight changes,
the whole subject of wage control can
be covered. If put into law. the Cor
Coran bill-so named after its author,
Tommy Corcoran of the brain
trust"-will really put all employers
;c;J
eminent regulation as to working
conditions and possible compensation
that wage scales as a whole are bound
TO be affected as well as the cost of
living for those who have to purchase
the products in which price increases
will inevitably result from the Gov
ernment's system Of wage control
The Corcoran bill would really make
labor unions superfluous. After read
ing its provisions one wonders what
there is left for labor union to do
and just why any worker should
bother to pay dues when all the
functions of wage regulation will be
supervised by the Federal Govern
nent through the Wage Control
Board.
Likewise there will be little use for
State governments when this bill is
enacted. Their powers over local in
oustry and wages and hours will con-
tlnue in so far as they may seek to
improve the minimum wage or de-
crease the maximum work week.
The discretionary powers vested in
the Federal Wage and Hour Board
Ir1, e.,
following paragraph as an example:
Having regard to the policy of the
Congress to extend the applicability
OF the provisions of this act with
respect to an oppressive work week
10 all employments within the scope
OF this act as rapidly as possible,
the board shall from time to time
by regulation or order declare such
provisions applicable to employments
within the scope of this act as rapidly
Is the board finds that such pro-
Visions can be made applicable to
such employments without unreason-
hbly curtailing the earning power of
che employe in such employments."
Not content with this virtual grasp
Of the whole law-making function,
the Corcoran bill goes on to vest
discretion of even wider sort as fol-
lows:
Having due regard to the mini
mum wage standard established, the
board shall by regulation or by order
gary such standard upward or down.
ward as to all employees or as to any
class or classes of employees to the
extent that the board finds a varia-
ton necessary or appropriate to pre-
vent the depression of general wage
levels below those consistent with the
maintenance of a minimum wage
standard of living necessary for health
and efficiency without unreasonably
curtailing opportunities for employ
nent"
There's enough in these paragraphs
Of . contradictory character to make
the provision seem unworkable, be-
cause it is next to impossible to de-
termine some of the broad questions
specified, but the board nevertheless
bould issue its orders right and left
and cut through the whole struc-
ture Of business and industry as well
rs all service businesses and profess
kions, because the Corcoran bill pro-
Sides:
ANY person who willfully per-
forms or aids or abets in the per-
formance of any act declared to be
unlawful by any provision Of this act
shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and,
upon conviction, shall be fined not
more than $500 or imprisoned for
not more than six months, or both.
Where the employment Of an en-
ploye in violation Of any provision
OF this act or Of labor standard
order is unlawful, each employe so
employed in violation Of such pro-
vision shall constitute a separate
offense."
So it doesn't matter what expert
menting the Federal Wage and Hour
Board may do, If any of its multi
farious orders or rules are violated
the employer may 60 to Jail. He can
90 to Jail, too, for failing to keep
records required by this act or any
regulation or order hereunder.
II all this seems complex and ex-
cessively governmental the reader will
ind that the Corcoran bill onits
nothing that anybody could possibly
think Of to include. Thus it says:
For the purpose of regulations
and orders the board may classify
persons and matters within its juris-
diction and prescribe different re-
Quirements for different classes Of
persons or matters"
Evidently Tommy Corcoran didn't
miss a thing, but the prize sentence
in the bill reads as follows:
"The singular includes the plural,
and the plural includes the singular" !"
<Copyrisht. 1879