Evening star., 1937-10-19
.JOHN HANNA QUITS
| D. c. WAGE BOARD
AS HEALTH FAILS
Resignation Effective With
Fixing of Minimum in
Retail Trade.
DECISION IS EXPECTED
AT MEETING TONIGHT
Battle Forecast Because of Differ
ence in Hours of Employment
and Other Factors.

John H. Hanna. chairman of the
board of the Capital Transit Co., to-
day submitted to the Commissioners
his resignation as a member of the
District Minimum Wage Board. The
resignation will be effective as soon
as the board fixes a minimum wage
for Washington's retail trade en-
ployes.
Expectations are that the board will
reach decision on the case of retail
trade workers tonight. at the final
meeting scheduled for the retail trade
conference.
Resignation Based on Health.
Hannas decision to retire, the Com
missioners were informed, is based on
the condition of his health. The
duties of members of the board have
been heavy in that the conference
group has been meeting twice a week
for month, taking testimony on the
budget requirements of the some
5000 workers in the retail trade
field.
As soon as a decision has been
reached on the wages for clerks. the
board Immediately will start an in
vestigation of conditions of the work
ers in hotels and restaurants and all
other types of eating establishments.
The board will appoint representatives
from employers. employees and the gen.
n eft oc fara
group to take testimony on the budget
requirements Of women and minors in
this field.
battle over the minimum wage to
be fixed for retail trade workers is
expected at tonights conference.
Spokesmen for employees have insisted
the minimum budget requirement. to
assure maintenance of good health
and morals. is no less than S2l51 per
week. whereas spokesmen for employ
ers say a budget of s1457 would suffice.
There undoubtedly will be . COM
promise.
Concerned Over Hours
Some members of the conference
are concerned over the fact that some
retail stores operate for the full legal
limit for women of 48 hours per week.
whereas others limit their work-wee.
for women employees to As hours. II
is said some conference members may
propose some kind of an order which
would prevent an employer-should he
see fit-from increasing the numbti
of hours a week for his women
employees, so as to meet any increase
in labor costs which might result from
the boards decision on their minimum
wage.
Retail Trade Conference and. wit!
Mrs Glen l.. Swiggett and Mrs. G. Q.
Brook. represents the public intereS;
The employers are represented t..
John j. Hasley. Jacob Hemminger az
Edwin Hahn; the employees by NJ.
Anna NJ Thornh:I Mrs. Erm&!I
Ketchem and Miss A. L. Milstead.
Prior to toiIieht's hnal conference
the three members OF the Minimum
Wage Board. Mrs. William Kitt!e.
chairman: Hanna and Arthur
l.. Schoenthal met and heard a
representative of the Labor Depart
ment. Mrs. Clara Boyer. assistant di-
rector of the division of labor stand
ards. touch OH matters relating TO
the basic wage which must be deter
mined and also on the pay of part
time workers and learners.
The Minimum Wage Board itself
fixes the pay of minors. who in the
District of Columbia are regarded as
those under l8 years of age. OF course.
there can be no determination of the
pay scale for either part-time work
ers, learners or minors. the Wage
Board pointed out, until the basic
wage is established.
Indexes Not Final Yardstick.
The living cost indexes of the Labor
Department. which show a decrease
under the living costs of 1919. when
the former minimum wage was es-
tablished. are not being used as q
final yardstick in the pending con-
ferences. There are many new ele-
ments of living costs figuring today,
it was said, that cannot be compared
properly with the indexes of 1919.
Included among these are numerous
food substitutes and new articles of
wearing apparel. Changes in living
standards, it was said. also must be
taken into consideration. These
changes, it was pointed out, are con-
sistently upward.