The times-news. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1927-current, 1937-01-28
us. WIDEDRWE.
FOR MINIMUM.
WAGE SOUGHT.
N. Y. Leads With Consider
ation Of Three Measures
on Subject

-
Minimum fair wage legislation to
improve working conditions for
women and minors in industry is
being considered in the New York
state legislature to replace laws
held invalid by the U. S. Supreme
court.
In his campaign for reelection,
President Roosevelt declared that
minimum wage legislation was es-
sential. Early passage of a new
law to meet the approval OF the
high court is assured.
AT least three minimum wage
bills have been sponsored in the
legislature. Supporters urge the
Desmond Brownell bill, asserting
Ito be constitutional, any
minimum fair wage law must in
clude men.
2-Men need the protection as
much as do women and minors.
3-Womcn and minors will not
be protected by a minimum far
wage law applying only to them.
WANT NO DISCRIMINATION
Minimum fair wage legislation
for women alone is a detriment,'
says supporters of the Desmond
Brownell bill.
of New York state wants to
insure minimum fair wages for
it's workers without lengthy and
doubtful efforts to amend the
state and federal constitutions, it
will adopt this minimuf fair wage
BILL"
The states minimum wage con-
ference organized by Elmer F.
Andrews, industrial commissioner,
recommended amendment of the
federal constitution Eat the earli-
est possible date" and the enact
ment of new minimum fair wage
law.
The conference called upon An
drews to appoint an "organlza-
ton committee" national in scope
to work for the amendment.
The committee is to organize
forces throughout the country
and to obtain common action to
attain quick passage of the amend
mept by the congress and ratifi-
cation by states"
ave are agreed that state
minimum wage law should be re-
enacted" the conference said.
THAT if the law is limited to
'sweated' industries both men and
women should be included; that
the important thing is to build a
floor against wage-cutting and
to prevent discrimination in the
employment of women.
"Fair trade practice has been
suggested as a basis for n mini
mum wage, but the majority of
the committee believe cost of liv-
ing must not be abandoned"
A report by the division of wo-
men in industry and minimum
wage obtained in the fall Of 1885
showed that under the minimum
fair wage law declared unconsti-
tutional, the median weekly wage
for approximately $4,000 women
and minors employed in the
laundry industry in the state in
creased from Sl0.i1 to $l3.42;
that in the hotel and restaurant
Industry to which the law was
next to be applied, mcdian wages
of SS.44 were paid for work
weeks as long as 70 to 80 hours,
and that a 1886 survey of the
beauty shop industry showed need
for minium fair wage.
REPORT COVERS 10000 JOBS
The divisions report include a
study of 10000 women in New
York City engaged in packing.
bottling and labelling in the food
industries and in the cosmetics
and drug industries.
"For these women" said the
report, "thc median wage was
3l.5 cents an hour and the me-
dian work week 40.7 hours. How
ever, the extremely low wages
we're reported for large proper
tons of women workers and much
of the work is highly seasonal so
that the annual earnings are
low"
The study showed that almost
half the women covered in New
York City were earning less than
81 cents an hour, "the admittedly
low rate set under the minimum
wage law as the minimum to be
paid to women employed in the