Evening star., 1937-09-12

..oiicu 1le slUU,U00 appropriation for
the erection Of new building at the
Houma Experiment Station for experi-
ment work in the cultivation of sugar
cane and the introduction of new
varieties of crop so vital to the in
terests of Louisiana.
The experimental work conducted
by this station in the past" he said
mas materially raised the weld of
sugar per acre in South louisiana. and
with the erection of this new station
there is every reason to believe that the
experimental work will continue with
excellent results. The American Sugar
Cane League has donated to the Gov
ernment site for the erection of the
new building and in addition will erect
s25,000 auxiliary building for Use bv
experiment station officials. believe
the Louisiana delegation is to be con-
graduated for securing this appropria-
ton. especially in view of the fact that
administration leaders have attempted
TO curtail expenditures at this session"
A fund of 100000 made available bv
Congress to conduct campaign for the
eradication or control of the sweet
potato weevil was mentioned as an
otner benefit to Louisiana.
Referring to the wages and hours
Dill as "one of the ma ior issues Of the
last session of Congress" Senator
Ellender. stated, When the bill was
originally introduced it contained pro-
visions which we're very drastic and
would in all probability have worked
harm on the South. / endeavored to
work with the Committee on Educa-
ton and Labor, and we held extensive
hearings on the subject. After study
ing all the evidence brought out at
these hearings. and listening to labor
leaders and manufacturers and busi-
ness men from all sections of the coun-
try. we proceeded to amend the bill so
as 10 eliminate some of the drastic pro-
visions of the old measure.
I'VE FELT that the general aim Of
the bill was a worthy one and
that 1t should be carried out. How
ever. we were afraid that the original
bill would bring about too sudden and
too drastic changes, which might
cripple or destroy some industries
Therefore we attempted to overcome
these faults. Then, too, we did not
feel that labor should be denied the
rights of collective bargaining afford
ed it under the Wagner act, and so
We amended the measure so as to ex-
cluoe from its provisions any laborerx
receiving over 40 cents per hour and
working under 40 hours per week.
The main purpose of the bill is to pro-
vide for the low-wage earners, and we
wanted to encourage this as much as
possible, without crippling industry.
Therefore wide discretion was Afforded
the board in administering the meas
ure. But the board will at all times
be guided by recommendations from
local committees made Up of equal
Of representatives of labor.
industry and the public. The courts
were left open for appeal, in the event
any party felt an injustice was being
done.
THE measure was held up on tho
House side and was not passed at the
last session. However, I feel certain
1t will come up again next session, am
l believe that some form of wage
and hours legislation will be enacted
into law"
Senator BLENDERS keen interest in
such matters as sugar bills and sim
lar farm legislation probably can be
traced back far beyond the influence
Of Huey P. Long or any other self
styled champion of the people" For
was born on a sugar plants-
ion in Montegut. La, Is miles south
If Houma. in 1891 When he was l3
ne was weighing sugar cane for three
If the eight months school term and
'iding an old mule back and forth to
! little private school at the end of
he sugar grinding season to make up
lis grades.
At II he went TO st. Aloysius COL
ege in New Orleans and entered Tu-
ane University after three months
work He was 81 when
lie received his M. A. and LII. B de-
rees.
He was appointed city attorney of
iouma few months after gradua-
ion. Defeated for district attorney BY
Bull Moose candidate. ne scored DO
tically five years later when he was
lected member of the State Con-
titutional Convention. In 1924 he
ecame member of the Louisiana
louise of Representatives
Huey p Long had already appeared
n the political horizon, but Ellender
id not support him in mis- first race
u Governor. nor contribute TO his
losequent victory four years later.
Ellender had been preparing him.
III for the governorship of Louisiana
'r years, but, the death of Lonq
hanged hN political dastiny e~~.