Evening star., 1937-06-04
BY JOHN c. HENRY.

tive quality, will be a principal bene-
f1ciary Of Federal legislation TO stabi-
lie wages, hours and working stand
ards, Secretary of Labor Perkins told
the Senate and House Labor Commit
tees today as she appeared to indorse
the Black Connery wage and hour
bill.
Miss Perkins declaration supple
mented an estimate made yesterday
by Leon Henderson, Government eco
nomist, TO the effect that more than
100000 employees would be potential
candidates for reduced hours or in
creased wages" if the proposed bill Is
passed. Estimating it would affect in
/ dustries employing some 100000
persons, Henderson declared approxi-
mately 500, 900 would be taken from
the relief rolls and put into private
employment if the measure is ap-
proved
Wants General Application
Under questioning today, Miss Per-
kins declared the act should be applied
| TO every employer regardless of num-
! Der Of employees coming within the
| interstate commerce Interpretation.
Other proposals would exempt en-
/ ployers of fewer than Is or fewer
/ than g.
| Asked if she thought board Of
lVe would be sufficiently large to
handle administration of the law. the
/ Secretary said emphaticallv:
Its too many. think three would
be better. The fewer there are. the
less chance for argument and dis
agreement"
Points TO Benefits
In her reference TO the benefits 10
industry Miss Perkins expressed hope
the committee will not be deferred
by the objection raised from some
quarters that bill which contains
merely labor provisions is one-Sided"
In my opinion" she added. "one
Of the lessons which our N. R. A. ex-
periences taught US is that it is not
necessary to bestow upon prl-
vate industry the legal right to fix
prices, limit production and to formu-
late codes of fair trade practices. 1t
is mistake TO think of minimum
wages or maximum hours as eX-
clusively labor measures necessitating
the grant of some CORES ponding priv
ilege TO industry. These labor pro-
visions are themselves general eco
nomic measures
One Of the objects Of such a bill as
this is TO make certain that competl-
ton will work in favor of efficient
management and high standards OF
productive quality The overWhelm.
ing majority Of American business
men will gain a new sense of security
If the law provides that basic labor
standards be stabilized and hence re-
moved from the arens of unfair COM
petition. Only where there is some
definite guarantee of uniformity OF
labor standards can management be
assured that efficiency Will be re-
warded. Another element Of security
is the memorable influence which the
establishment of fair labor conditions
will nave in avoiding labor disputes
With the removal of oppressive wage,
and long hours of employment the
likelihood Of strikes should diminish"
Committee Cautioned
Cautioning the committee that the
controversial issue of wage differen-
tials is the most difficult question m
connection with enactment of the
legislation, Miss Perkins suggested
that the delicate task" be performed
administratively rather than setting
specific figures in the bill
1T is very important she said,
that no differential be set which
would give competitive advantage to
industries in one section of the coun.
try selling into the same market as
industries with high labor standards
Commencing the child labor pro-
hibitions of the bill, the Secretary
added, however. that the effort Ia
secure ratification of the chiId-labor
amendment by the favorable actor
of eight additional States should pro.
ceed with vigor, whatever action the
Congress may take with reference tc
the proposals We now have before US
Favors Advisory Committees.
Miss Perkins directed specific COM
mendatlon to the contemplated use
Of advisory committees of industry
and labor in determination by the
board of minimum wages for different
industries, and likewise supported tbs
prohibition against the proposed board
exercising jurisdiction where collec-
tive bargaining between industry and
independent labor unions is adequate
to establish fair standards of wages
and hours.
The Secretary suggested, however,
that a provision be inserted to make
it certain that the minimum wage
should be established on the basis OF
occupation and not on the basis OF
sex"
Yesterdays session of the committee
were marked by the appearance OF
one successful young industrialist in
vigorous support of the legislation
Robert Johnson president of the med
ical supply firm of johnson IL john
son, told the committee a 40-houl
week and SIS minimum wage should
be imposed on industry only as a
| beginning of efforts TO improve work.
ing conditions and relieve unemploy-
ment.
AS soon AS practicable. and imme-
diately in some industries. he added
there should be a 30-hour week al
the same wage.
johnson declared his own company
had found itself able to run textih
mill profitably on a 30-hour week il
competition with other manufacturers
even though the others went beyond
the 40-hour limit.
John G.. Paine, industry representa-,
tive in the National Council for In.
dustrial Progress, appeared to indora
the bill and suggest it be made ap-
plicable to employers Of eight or mor
persons.
From the same group, however, Pau
S. Hanway. executive secretary Of tn,
National Fiber Can and Tube Asso.
citation, appeared to criticize the legis