Evening star., 1937-03-31
ROOSEVELT SPURS
RETURN Of WAGE
LAW IN DISTRICT
Backs Application of Pay
Minimum for Men, Women
and Children.
QUERIES CUMMINGS ON
STATUS OF OLD ACT
Seal Reassures Business That No
Precipitate Action Will
Be Taken.

Declaring himself in favor Of a
District minimum wage law that would
benefit children and men as well as
women President Roosevelt announced
late yesterday that he would ask At
torney General Cummings for an
opinion as to whether the legislation
invalidated by the Supreme Court in
1923 is still on the statute books.
If the law has been removed from
the books, the President told his press
conference, he intends to take steps at
once to have it returned, with any
necessary amendments. And if new
law is needed, he added, Congress
should begin ork on it immediately.
From Corporation Counsel ElWood
H. Seal, however. came assurances
that there will be no precipitate action
in establishing the old District
Minimum Wage board, He made his
statement in response to inquiries
from many business concerns anxious
to know what effect, if any, the
Supreme Courts ruling Monday on
the washington State minimum wage
law would have on the situation here
Commissioner George E. Allen said
he was Fundamentally in favor" of
Mr.. Roosevelt's suggestion that any
minimum wage law should apply to
men, as well as women and children
His attitude indicated the Board of
Commissioners would consider seri-
ously such recommendation in the
event it was definitely decided to in
troduce new minimum wage bill for
the District.
Commissioner Melvin C. Hazen was
could not be reached for a statement.
Sees Need of New Measure.
Seal was inclined to the opinion
that a new measure should be drafted.
At the direction of the Commissioners
he is preparing a formal opinion,
which probably will be submitted with
such a recommendation within the
week
The corporation counsel's Office
meanwhile was being flooded with
calls from hotel and restaurant men
and heads of other business estab-
lishments employing a great number
of women. The Hotel Mems Associa-
ton was in session yesterday and
wished information from the corpora
ton counsels office for guidance.
Seal assured them that the Su-
preme Court decision would not have
a retroactive effect and there is no
likelihood of the old law, which has
haoy ronoo1oI hoior of
1ective Immediately.
He is making a careful study of the
Children's Hospital action, which
caused the Supreme Court to declare
the District minimum wage law un-
constitutional The Supreme Court
ruled then that Children's Hospital
could not be compelled to comply with
the law and issued a permanent in
junction against the Minimum Wage
Board
Could Refuse to Comply.
1t would be possible for Children's
with the orders of board If the old
law is re-enacted without change. If
the hospital should raise the question
of res adjudicata, claiming exemption
under a 14-year-old injunction, Seal
indicated that it might prevent en-
forcement of the law so far as the
institution is concerned.
He brought up the issue to point
out the possible need of revising the
present law.
There is also the question of fixing
new minimum wages as a standard
in protecting the health and morals"
OF women workers, as prescribed in
the old law.
Much water has passed over the
dam in the IA years since the Mini
mum Wage Board was dissolved, Seal
pointed out, and a S1650 minimum
wage in 1918 or 1923 might not be
considered sufficient under changed
conditions today. These and other
matters must be considered, as we'll
as the preparation of an "air-tight"
bill before the law can be made oper-
ative again.
Mr.. Roosevelt is of the opinion that
the new law should be so phrased as
to "go the whole hog and include men
as well as women" The President
added that children workers also
should be provided for in such legis-
lation.