Evening star., 1938-05-20
W.P.A.PAY ENTERS
WAGE BILL DISPUTE
South Senators to Ask End
of DifferentiaIs if u. S.
Minimum Passes.
BY the Associated Press.

Southern Senators demanded elm
ination today of regional dlfferentlals
in w. P. A. pay in the event Congress
enacts a Nationwide minimum wage.
Many Southern legislators have
criticized the Wage-hour bill. which
the House will debate Monday. because
il does not provide a lower wage scale
for the South The w P. A. they
pointed cut, has a generally lower rate
for that area.
Tncir informal discussion OF an
cG!nent to Stand3rdiZe w. P. A.
pay schedules if the House bill! passes
came as a Senate Appropriations Sub
committee gathered this morning to
approve the So 900 100000 relief and
public works bill.
The subcommittee meeting followed
a press conference statement by Harry
L. Hopkins, w. P. A. administrator.
that there was an immediate need to
increase w. p A. rolls in all large
industrial cities.
I'VE are going to have a serious
relief problem in the near future, Mr..
Hopkins said, explaining that many
persons who lost their jobs few
weeks or months ago have exhausted
their resources.
Number May Reach 100000.
Federal work relief rolls now list
100000 persons The administrator
said this number soon would reach
100000 and possibly 100000.
Chicago and Cleveland, he added.
might require some of the additional
aid because State relief funds have
been exhausted.
Mr.. Hopkins said 100000 persons
now getting unemployment insurance
might be forced to ask for w. P. A.
help when those benefits cease The
Social Security Board announced that
almost $105 100000 in such insurance
has been paid in the first four months
of the year.
for temporary increase in relief pay
The w. P. A. has money available
ments Provision for $3.50 ,000, 900 to
run the w. P. A. from July to Feb
ruary l is made in the pending relief
bill.
Chairman Adams of the subcom-
mittee handling the bill said in radio
speech yesterday that only the alb
sorpticn of the unemployed in private
industry can restore prosperity.
He asserted, however, that the re-
lief bill. plus assurances that the
Government lis not unfriendly to in
dustry," would aid in re-establishing
confidence and increasing employ
ment
Added Farm Money Sought.
Edward A. O'Neal, president of the
American Farm Bureau Federation,
urged Senator Adams Subcommittee
to provide $2OO,oOO,O0O for farm sub
sides in addition to the $500 100000
previously authorized. A material re-
duction in cotton, corn and wheat
production is necessary, he said, if
price collapse is to be avoided.
The relief bill will come up in the
Senate Monday at the time the House
begins consideration of the revised
Wage-hour measure.
A campaign to Whittle down the
number of workers to which the
hours provisions of the latter bill would
apply was headed by Representative
Coffee. Democrat, of Nebraska.
He advocated adoption of the So
called grange" amendment to exempt
professors and distributors of dairy
products. livestock and seasonal agri-
cultural commodities from the bills
overtime provisions.
On the other hand, strong coali-
ton of Northern Democrats, Repub-
licans. Progressives and Farmer-La-
borites agreed yesterday to fight all
amendments.
The bill would establish . graduated