Evening star., 1937-04-06
local government could lend" the
board necessary clerical help.

local government could lend" the
board necessary clerical help.
When the Supreme Court, in ruling
on the Washington State minimum
wage law. overruled the previous de-
cision in the District minimum wage
law case, President Roosevelt limited
At the possibility that new law
might be drafted in the District to
regulate minimum wages for men n
well as women
New Upset Seen Possible.
Commissioner Hazen and Corpora
tion Counsel Elwood Seal yesterday
questioned the wisdom of exposing the
minimum wage law for women to a
new attack on its constitutionality by
broadening It's provisions to cover men.
I'VE know the law is constitutional
as it now stands" said Seal. IT we
want to regulate the minimum wages
of men, I believe it would be wiser
to enact a separate law, modelled, per-
haps, after the present one"
Seal, who will attend the board
meeting today, is expected to raise the
question Of whether employees who
have been paid inadequate wages
since 1923, when the minimum wage
law was declared unconstitutional,
will be able to sue for the difference
between what they were paid and
what might be defined as an ade-
quate wage.
Under language of the law as it
now stands, Seal pointed out, any
woman worker may sue in civil
action for money due her where the
amount paid is less than the full
amount Of the minimum wage set
by the board.
Salary Scales Set.
The last salary scale established
by the board before it dissolved, fol-
lowing the Supreme Courts first rul-
ing, affected approximately l2,500
women. The rates were: For women
employees in mercantile establishments,
hotels and restaurants, not less than
341a cents per hour or $l6.50 per
week; women employed in the print
ing and publishing industry not less
than $3.50 per week and in laun-
dries and dry cleaning establishments
SIS weekly.
The sweeping effect revival of the
minimum wage law may have was
pointed out at the District Employ
ment Center where it was said that
in numerous instances mattresses must
depend upon tips in lieu Of a salary
and that 2 high wage is SIS weekly.
Shop girls average about sl2 weekly.
it was said.
A survey made Of local laundries
in 1884 by the Department of Labor
showed that 846 colored women were
employed for sl0.10 week and 478
white women received sll40 per week.
New Scales Seem Necessary.
The new board members, one Of
whom must represent employers. the
other employees and the third the gen.
eral public, will be compelled to estab-
lish a new scale Of minimum wages, 1t
was pointed out, since the cost Of
living in this city is the primary fac
tor to be considered.
The law provides that if the board
after investigation. is of the opinion
that substantial number Of woman
workers in any occupation are re-
ceiving inadequate wages, it may call
a conference of not more than three
representatives of employers, of an
equal number of representatives Of
employees and not more than three
disinterested persons representing the
public. The conference then would
submit recommendation as to stand
ards Of minimum wages for woman
workers to the board The board then
could establish the standards it felt
were necessary in view Of living costs.
The board is empowered by the law
to administer oaths, to require at
tendance by subpoena Of witnesses.
the production of books, records, etc,
and such other evidence as it may
deem necessary at a public hearing.
In case of disobedience, the board may
invoke the aid the District Court.