Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1937-11-03
W0MEN'SP Ay SET
| AT ST. MINIMUM
| PENDING HEARING
Board Decision, Effective
February !, Means Wage
| Increase for Many.
so CENTS SACRIFICED
FOR UNANIMOUS ACTION
Law Cannot Become Mandatory
for Two Months, but May Be
Met Sooner Voluntarily.

wage increases for Substantial
number" of Washington's retail trade
employees will become mandatory by
next February l, as result of a final,
formal decision last night by the Dis
trict Minimum Wage Board fixing SIT
as the minimum wage for women in
the mercantile industry here.
The decision was a compromise, fl,
which the majority on the Retail
Trade Conference sacrificed so cents
on the weekly minimum scale in order
to obtain unanimous" decision by
the conference
The conference last week had voted
for minimum wage of Sl7.5O. En-
ployer members of the conference did
not agree to that figure. In the wind
up last night they gave ground, as did
spokesmer. for the employees and the
public, when the conference and the
board both voted to set the lowest
legal wage at SIT.
The decision must be advertised for
four weeks and then a public hearing
is to be scheduled to hear any remon-
strances that may be offered. There
after the law cannot become manda-
tory for two months, or February l,
but members of the board hope the
wage will become effective voluntarily
before that date.
Schoenthal Vote Not Revealed.
Reports are that almost all members
of the board and conference were sat-
iSf1pd with tho docicia,, IJav,o,a-
is reported that Arthur L. Schoenthal,
labor representative on the board,
voted present" when the conference
was deciding the issue. How he voted
when the board finally passed judg-
ment was not announced.
After testimony had been taken by
the conference group of nine members,
plus the three members of the board,
the employees held that the minimum
budget necessary to meet the require
ments of the retail clerks was S21.5l
per week. The employers insisted the
minimum budget could be as low as
| $1457.
Spokesman for the general public.
headed by Mrs. William Kittle, chair
man of the Minimum Wage Board,
submitted budget recommendation
heretofore unannounced-calling for
payment of no less than Sl7.77 per
week. AS the conference negotiations
continued, it is said, the spokesman for
employees agreed to come down to that
figure, and at the meeting last week
the vote of the employe and public
representatives on the conference
called for a minimum wage of $3.50
Unanimous" Strategy Adopted.
However. members of the board
wished to obtain a unanimous vote be-
cause of its effect upon the admins
tration Of the law and the possible eff
feet upon the conference to be held
on the minimum wages for other in
dustries. Members of the board said
they felt 1t was worth while to sacrl-
nee 90 cents on the wage scale in
order to obtain a unanimous" vote.
There was some rejoicing after the
flnal vote was taken. Some members
of the board threw into the discard
suggestions that large number of the
salesgirls would be fired if the mini
mum wage was set at too high" a
figure, and that some of Washington,s
retail trade would be driven into Mary
land and Virginia, or to even more dis
tant points.
The board, after hearing the recon-
mendations of the conference body.
last night voted minimum wages for
part-time workers, for adult learners
and for special workers who are en-
ployed for Thanksgiving, Christmas
and similar holiday periods, but these
rates were not announced at the time.
1t was said, however, that such work.
ers would be regarded as full-time
workers if they were employed as much
as 40 hours per week.
| Minor Scale to Be Decided.
The board itself later will decide
what shall be the minimum wage for
minors. The point was not included
In last nights decisions by the con-
ference and the board.
AS a major witness called by the en-
ployer group, DR.. Paul Nystrom, mar
keting expert for the F. w. WOOL
worth Co., had recommended the min
lmum wages for the retail trade be
fixed at $l4 to SIS. Public and en-
ploye spokesman had produced wit
nesses calling for much higher mini
mum pay.
Just how many of Washington's
5000 workers in the trade who are
now getting less than SIT has not been
announced. During the long series of
conference meetings employer spokes-
men have agreed that Substantial"
number of the workers were being paid
less than the $3.50 minimum wage
that was fixed by the Districts origi-
nal Minimum Wage Board nearly 20
years ago.
Esch Serves as Chairman.
| John j. Esch, formerly Of the Inter-
state Commerce Commission, acted as
chairman of the Conference Commit
tee.
John H. Hanna, employer spokesman
on the Minimum Wage Board, has
submitted his resignation, to be effec-
tive as soon as the final decision was
adopted on the retail trade workers.
The board soon will start considera-
ton of the minimum wage for en-
ployes OF restaurants, hotels and other
eating establishments. Spokesman for
the workers will be elected In fashion
similar to the system for retail trade
clerks.