Evening star., 1937-05-30
BY JOHN c. HENRY.

Approval OF objectives but disagree
ment with proposed approach will be
the common attitude of industry and
labor toward the Black Connery wage
and hour bill, it was indicated yes
terday.
Introduced in the wake OF presi-
Dental message replete with unassail-
able generalitics, the legislation has
a basis of such worthy ideAlism that
direct opposition may be dimcult.
Few spokesmen for either industry or
labor may dare disagree with the
ideals OF increased employment, ade-
quate minimum wages. short hours
and generally improved working con-
ditions
That both labor and industry, how
ever. would prefer, selflshly or other
wise, to see them achieved in some
manner other than the vesting Of
sweeping authority in five-man gov
ernmental board is evident from de-
velopments in advance Of the public
hearings scheduled to begin next
Tuesday.
NNAl lllC PuOIN
action that so frequently greeted their
blunt opposition to some OF the ad-
ministration's so-called social Iegisla-
ton Of the last few years. the indus
trial associations are launching their
campaign against the Black-Connery
For Voluntary Process.
For instance. the United States
Chamber of Commerce, in its weekly
review released yesterday, laid the
following foundation for later sug-
gestions that wages and hours be reg
ulated through voluntary process:
Business as a whole is consis-
tently demonstrating by practical ac-
complishments its willingness and
capacity to improve labor standards
Industry today. as whole, is united
in support of policy Of paying the
highest practicable wages and in sup
port of the shortening Of hours as far
as productivity will permit.
Through independent action, in
dustry has made extraordinary prog
ress in attaining these objectives. In
the last decade, increase in wages
accompanied by reduction Of 20 per
cent in hours Of work has resulted in
more than IS per cent increase In
average weekly earnings measured In
purchasing power, and employment Of
persons under l6 years Of age has vir-
tually been eliminated"
Expressing the hope that the legis-
lation will be given most deliberate
consideration" the chamber state
ment adds:
Discussion of the measure prob
ably will center less upon the pur-
poses at which it is aimed-the estab-
lishment OF wage and hour standards
than upon the methods proposed for
their achievement"
Refrains From Criticism.
AS for the National Association Of
Manufacturers, its board Of directors
met in New York during the last week
discussed the Presidents message and
the proposed legislation and refrained
completely from any criticism. A
lCpI pICcCIlVALAVC VI tllC &SoOCA2IlUll WILL
appear, however, during Joint hearings
of the House and Senate Labor
Committees.
Another industry group, the Cotton
Textile Association, will make its posi-
tion known Tuesday, when DR.. Claud-
ius T. Murchison, president Of the
institute, appears before the two
committees.
That the institute has decided on
the strategy of indorsing the purposes,
while maintaining lack OF necessity
for the legislation Is indicated by their
circulation during the last few days
OF information to the effect that
nearly 80 per cent Of the textile in
dustry Is preserving code standards OF
wages and hours. Average hours in
the industry, it Is claimed. are between
80 and 40, with wage minimums pretty
much maintained at the code figures
Of &l2 In the South and $l3 In the
North.
More dizset warning es eppoGtton