Evening star., 1938-10-25
Wage-Hour
Continued From First Page J

giving most of their attention to these
appeals for assistance.
Their opinions will be only ad-
risory, however. for the courts must
determine finally whether an indi-
vidual industry is in interstate COM
;nerce and, therefore, subject to the
Federal law.
There is also the possibility that
businessmen will request clarifying
amendments to the act and possible
extension of the classes of exempted
workers. Some employers. on the
other hand, argue that the courts
should pass on the law as it now
stands before making any changes in
It's provisions.
Mr.. Andrews announced that some
State Governors had agreed quickly
70 cooperate with his administrator
In enforcing the law and to attend
meeting here next month to dis
euss the possibility that States might
enact wage-hour laws similar to the
Federal act.
He said he had received kilograms
pledging cooperation from Governors
Graves of Alabama. Kraschel of Iowa,
White Of Mississippi, Alfred of Texas,
Blood OF Utah and Kirman of Nevada
Later, officials disclosed similar mes
sages had been received from Governors
Marland of Oklahoma. Quinn of
Rhode Island and Rivers of Georgia
Mr.. Andrews announced that the
taw would not be retroactive and said
that goods produced and handled at
substandard wages before October "a
did not become outlaw" goods i'm
mediately. But, he added, workers
handling such goods on and after
today must be paid the statutory
minimum wage.
In the District, only those enter
prises doing al important part Of
their business across the line in Mary
hand or Virginia. or in other States,
fall under the law. In view of the
absolute jurisdiction over the Capital
area. Congress could have blanketed
all District industries under the law,
but elected rather to treat this city
just as If it were a State
Although no positive arrangements
have been made as yet it is expected
that the Wage-Hour Division will rely
.largely on the District Minimum Wage
Board and the latter's staff for much
Of the local enforcement work
After the first day of the acts op-
Grafton, Mr.. Andrews reported last
night that most branches of industry
were complying fully with the new
standards. even though many COM
panies were not certain whether it
applied to all their employees.
Unofficial estimates indicated more
than 10000 persons were thrown out
of work by shutdowns of scattered
plants Most of the lay-offs occurred
in the South. particularly in pecan
.shelling plants, lumber mills and to-
bacco-stemming factories
The pecan-shelling industry pre-
rented the first major problem for the
Wage-Hour Administration. j. Selig-
man of San Antonio. Tex. president
of the American Pecan Shelters of
America, told Mr.. Andrews that all
plants in the South had been closed
because of the law and that $4,000
workers were involved.
Some representatives of the industry
eontended their employees should be
exempted from the law because they
were In the area of agricultural pro-
duction -- region which Congress
placed outside the act. Others ex-
pressed the opinion the minimum
wage provisions should apply to their
work.
Mr. Andrews and Calvert Magruder,
gsneral counsel, will have to decide
mist whether the industry is in inter-
1ate commerce, and then whether a
majority OF the workers are in the
= production area, Mr.. Andrews ex-
pressed the hope that lay-offs in all in
oustr1es would be only temporary.
IN south Carolina, some estimates
placed the number of tobacco stem
mers and lumber mill employees thrown
cat Of work at o,oOo.