The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1938-06-23
Observations
from Washington
by Congressman Harold Knutson
Properly Refuted

ASChuSCU
What would my readers say II J..
p. Morgan or John D. Rockefeller
were to march into the capitol and
take possession of the Speakers re-
ception room for the purpose Of
calling in members Of Congress to
tell them what they must do. A
cry would go up all over the coun-
try that would rock things to their
foundation and there would be
many new faces in the next Con-
gress as a result. Strange to say
that when John L. Lewis, accom-
panied by several Of his aids, did
this very thing one day last week
there was little or no reaction to 1t
among the people and many Mem
bers Of Congress, I am ashamed to
say, took 1t as q matter OF course.
Mr.. Lewis and his staff were up
there for the purpose Of putting
through an amendment to an exist
ing law which would have forced
corporations whose contracts with
the government exceed $1,000 to
conform to wage-hour standards
and accept decisions Of the Nation
al Labor Relations Board affecting
them. Violators would be subject
to blacklisting and be barred from
bidding for three years, also to a
fine equal to double or treble the
difference between the wages paid
and the wage scale laid down by
the Secretary Of Labor. 1t would be
q one-man affair.
If Mr. Lewis had an idea that he
could intimidate Congress he knows
better now. True, there are num-
Der of Senators and Representatives
who quake in their boots whenever
Lewis name is mentioned but, for
tunately, they are in the minority.
Congress Adjourns
The 18TH Congress has adjourned
sine die. It has established a rec
ord for liberality that is unsurpass-
ed in the history of the Republic for
peace times. Many of my older
readers will recall the commotion
that was raised near the turn OF
the century when the first "billion
dollar" Congress came into being.
The 18th Congress will go down in
history as the twenty billion dollar
Congress and has spent about eight
billion dollars more than was TAX
en- in. I am thinking that many
Congressman, in coming up for
election this fall, will have to do
some explaining because the peo-
pie are going to want to know
where all the money has gone to.
Twenty billion dollars is lot of
money. It means nearly $3.50 for
every man, woman and child in the
country. OF course, much Of 1t
has gone for necessary expenditures
but I am afraid that much of it has
also been poured down rat holes
where 1t has done very little good.
Finally Passes
The differences between the two
Houses over the Wage and Hour
bill were finally composed and the
measure went through during the
closing hours of the session. The
Southern demand for differentials
in pay was acceded to so that in
its operation the northern employ
er of labor will have to meet the
advantage that his southern COM
petitor enjoys in paying lower wag-
es. Just what this will mean can
best be illustrated by news story
that came out of Detroit the other
day to the effect that a large man.
ufacturer of automobile seat COW
ers in that city is moving his plant
to Georgia. His name is Fry and
he states that last year labor re-
ceived $1.68 out Of every two dol
lars worth of seat covers that his
concern manufactured and that his
profit was one cent on each unit
which, of course, is much too close
a margin, so he is going down
South with his plant.
Mark the prediction that under
the operation of the wage and hour
law other Northern industries will
follow Mr.. Fry's example. Think
of passing law that places the
employee and the employer under
the absolute domination of one Ad-
ministrator. Talk about Hitler and
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