Montana labor news., 1937-09-02
Senate Passes Wages
Hours Bill; F. D.'s Pro-
gram Now Up 10 House
By Federated Press

the administrations legislative pro-
gram at this session of Congress be-
came a matter for the House of Rep
resentatives to settle as the Senate,
by a vote of 56 to %. passed the
wages and hours bill and turned to
discussion of the housing bill.
The prospects for speedy passage
of the housing bill by the Senate
seemed favorable, leaving that body
with the court reform bill as the
only major item of unfinished bust
ness On its calendar. Not a great
deal of debate is expected on the
court bill as its major provisions
have already been agreed to by all
factions.
The crucial test on the wages and
hours bill came on a motion to re-
commit the measure to the labor
committee for further study" The
motion was made by Sen. Tom Con-
nally ID, Tex and was defeated
by a vote of SO to 48.
During the debate in the Senate,
the wages and hours bill suffered
further emasculation and, as passed,
bears little resemblance to the bill
as introduced. Raids by senators
representing various industries re-
suited in exempting almost everyone
connected in any way with agricul-
ture. In addition interstate truck
drivers, executive, administrative
and professional personnel en-
ployees in local service" air trans
port workers, retail trades workers,
seamen, fishermen and railroad and
express employees are exempted.
The child labor provision of the
bill was rewritten to provide for a
ban on the interstate shipment of
goods produced by persons under the
ages Of 16 and declares that if such
a provision be held unconstitutional
then the products of child labor shall
not be shipped into states with a
child labor ban.
Changes made in the bill during
committee action provide for differ
ent geographical areas and top labor
standards of 40 cents an hour and
40 hours a week. The five man la
Dor standards board can issue its
rulings only after public hearings
and after appointment of an en-
ployer-employee advisory committee
from the industry affected. The
board can also "differentiate between
individual industries.
A sharp fight on the measure is
expected in the House. The bill has
not yet been reported from com
mittee but it has been promised by
Chmn. Mary Norton Cd, N. j. with
in a short time. The House COM
mittee has already amended the Sem
ate measure in a number of ways,
the most important change being a
boosting of possible labor standards
to 70 cents an hour and 35 hours a
week.
Rep. J. j. O'Connor ID, N. W,
chairman of the power House rules
committee, indicated his opposition
to the bill and Rep John Rankin ID,
Miss.) boastfully declared the mea-
sure is doomed. Administration
leaders in the House, however, con-
fidently predicted victory for the
measure and it was thought the
wages and hours measure would be
in conference by August Z.
Senators voting to kill wages and
hours bill by recommittal were:
Democrat Fla, Bailey,
N. c., Buckley, Ohio, Burke, Neb.,
Byrd, Va, Chavez, New Mex, Clark,
Mo, Connally, Tex, Copeland, N. ",
Donahey, Ohio, George, Ga, Glass,
Va, Harrison, Miss, King, Utah,
Maloney, Conn, McCarran, New,
Overton, La, Pittman, New, Rad
cliffe, Md, Smith, S. c., and Tyd-
ings, Md.
Republicans voting to recommit
were: Austin, VT, Borah, Idaho,
Bridges, N. H., Capper, Kans., Davis,
Pa, Frazier, N. d, Hale, Me, John
son, Calf, McNary, Ore, Nye, N. D.,
Steiwer, Ore, Townsend, Del, Van
denberg, Mich, and White, Me.