The Washington times., 1937-08-09
HOUSE INFORMED
'CHISELER' CURBS
WAGE BILLS AIM
Roosevelt Detectives
Highly Praised

wage-hour bill is designed to curb
"chiselers" in industry, the House
Labor Committee said in a formal
report, recommending passage Of
the bill today.
The measure, providing for
wages UP to 40 cents an
hour and reduction Of the work
week to 40 hours, was described by
the committee as "a modest and
conservative approach" to the OBJ
iectives of President Roosevelt.
Help to Masses
After quoting Presidents mes
sage urging legislation, the COM
mite report said:
Prom the message of the
President, it is plain that this
Administration is privileged to
give relief to those who constl-
tute one.third of our population.
referred to by the President as
Ill nourished, i'll clad and Ill
housed
THE great mass of our popu-
lation has little patience with
that small minority which has
been termed 'chiselers.' 1t is at
this minority particularly that
the bill, a modest and conserva-
tive approach to the great OBJ
jectives outlined by the Presi.
dent in his message, is aimed.
It is an attempt to begin to meet
some Of the vital problems Of
American economic life.
Few May Suffer
I'm doing this, a few may SUI
fer inconvenience and possibly
financial loss for a short time,
but the fact that a tremendous
number Of injustices will be
cured by the bill fully justifies
the inconvenience and even the
loss. There never has been and
possibly never will be, a law
passed the adjustment to which
has not caused some inconven-
fence"
The committee report asserted
one-third of the American people
lack the purchasing power to
maintain what we should like to
regard as a decent standard Of
American life"
"A fair days pay for a fair
days work will increase the pur-
chasing power Of American
workers." said the report.
$500 Per Year
It was pointed out that a mini
mum wage of 40 cents would yield
an annual income of only $500 a
year to persons continuously EN-
ployed for so weeks.
mo fair-minded person would
suggest that this amount is too
much to maintain the minimum
American standard Of living"
said the report.
1.-THE low wage group we hope
to reach through the bill is not
concentrated in any one section
of the country, but the problem
is national in its scope and its
effect. Although the committee
believes it is necessary to reach
the Accent minimum as soon as
possible, it recognizes a Accent
minimum cannot Immediately
be established IN all sections of
the country without producing
some economic diSlocationS.
Discretion Allowed
Therefore, the board is
directed to establish minimum
wages at or near 40 cents an
hour as is economically feasible
without curtailing opportunity
for employment or dislocating
industry"
While the bill, the committee
prohibits the proposed
labor standards board from reduc-
Ing the work week below 40 hours,
attainment of a still shorter work
week by collective bargaining is
to be encouraged.
The report asserted that rights
Of organized labor to bargain col
lectively are fully protected. The
anti-child labor provision of the
measure, the committee said, will
eliminate the great evil of child
labor.
3 SAVED IN AIR CRASH
HONGKONG, Aug. 9 Q.N.S0.
Three Americans were among the
of the wreck of a China