Evening star., 1937-11-07
MRS. NORTON SEES
REVISED WAGE BILL
Measure to Follow Farm
Legislation to Early Pass
age, She Declares.
BY JAMES E. CHINN.

III ShNAL<S e. OnIfNNs
Chairman Norton of the House La
Dor Committee returned to Washing
ton yesterday confidently predicting
the controversial wages and hours bill
would follow the Administrations farm
program through Congress at the
forthcoming special session, but not in
its present form.
There is strong likelihood, Mrs. Nor
ton intimated, that the bill will be
recalled from the House calendar and
some OF its major features revised In
committee. The principal change, she
believes, will be designed to place ad-
ministration Of the proposed law in
the Labor Department instead of an
independent f1ve-man board.
Since adjournment of Congress,
Mrs. Norton said, she learned there
is considerable sentiment among men,
bers Of the Labor Committee and in
dustrialists in favor of placing juris-
diction over any wages and hours plan
in the Labor Department.
Fear Boards Power.
Most Of the industrialists with
whom I have talked" declared Mrs.
Norton, feel that the five-man board,
as set up in the present bill, would
have too much power They believe
it might be better to have the law
administered In the Labor Depart
ment."
Some members Of Congress, how
ever, have been critical in the past
of Secretary Perkins, and as q result,
there Is serious question whether a
move to broaden her powers over labor
and industry would be given congress
sional approval. Miss Perkins atti-
tude on geographical differences par
ticularly aroused the ire Of some men,
bers prior to Senate passage of the
wages and hours bill at the last ses-
sion.
The Labor Standards Board which
the present bill would create to ad-
minister the wages and hours law,
would be composed of five men, ap-
pointed by the President in accord
ance with the requirements of geo.
graphical, industrial and labor differ
ences. One member must be from the
Northeast. one from the Northwest,
one from the Southeast, one from the
Southwest and one from the Central
part Of the country. One Of these five
members would be representative OF
the employees and another the en-
ployers.
Least Danger to Business"
Mrs. Norton pointed out that in her
travels since adjournment she found
"a great deal of sentiment for mini
mum wages and maximum hours"
But the question every one asks"
she said. lis how the Government can
regulate wages and hours with the
least danger to business? My answer
has constantly been:
The Government wants to create
employment. not destroy it."
AS soon as the special session con-
venes, Mrs. Norton said she would call
her committee together to determine
the changes that should be made in
the present bill and to map out q
program for its now doubtful legisla-
tive journey-doubtful because the
powerful House Rules Committee has
steadfastly refused to grant a special
rule for its consideration. But despite
this opposition in the Rules Committee
which came principally from such in
huential Southern Democrats as Rep
resentatives Cox of Georgia and Dies
of Texas, Mrs. Norton said she is con-
f1dent the wages and hours bill would
be the second order of business" of
the House at the extra session.
One member Of the Labor Commit
tee who already has disclosed he
proposed to fight for recall and re-
vision OF the bill is Representative
Thomas, Democrat, of Texas. He
has recommended elimination of
exemptions for certain classes of
workers now embraced in the bill.
including employees of local retailers,
Although Mrs. Norton does not be-
lieve her committee will consider an
outright substitute for the present bill.
Representative Lamneck, Democrat.
OF Ohio said he planned to introduce
an entirely new measure which would
authorize the Federal Trade Commits
sion to cite for unfair competition in
dustries which permit "substandard"
working conditions or child labor. He
said his bill would not attempt to tix
wages or hours, and that it would b.
ready Tor introduction November Is.
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