Evening star., 1938-01-03
money from undue fluctuations in
Hopes Administrative Cost
OF Farm Act Will Be Low,

seek to initiate Government pro-
gram for balanced agriculture
are now in conference between the
two Houses Of the Congress. In
their final consideration, hope
for q sound, consistent measure,
which will keep the cost of it's ad-
ministration within the figure of
current Government expenditures
in aid Of agriculture. The farmers
Of this Nation know that a bal
anced output can be put into effect
without excessive cost and with the
cooperation of the great majority
Of them.
If this balance can be created by
an all-weather farm program, our
farm population will soon be as
sured of relatively constant pur-
chasing power. From this will flow
Two other practical reSultS-the
consuming public will be protected
against excessive food and textile
prices, and the industries of the
Nation and their workers will find
a Steadier demand for wares sold to
the agricultural third of our people.
To raise the purchasing power of
the farmer is, however, not enough.
1t will not stay raised if we do not
also raise the purchasing power of
that third of the Nation which re-
celves its income from industrial
employment. Millions of indus
trial workers receive pay so low that
they have little buying power.
Aside from the undoubted fact that
they thereby suffer great hardship,
they thereby suffer great human
hardship, they are unable to buy
adequate food and shelter to main
tain health or to buy their share
OF manufactured goods.
We have not only seen minimum
wage and maximum hour provi-
slons prove their worth economi-
cally and socially under Govern
ment auspices in 1888. 1884 and
1885, but the people of this country,
by an overwhelming vote, are in
favor of having the Congress-this
Congress-put floor below which
industrial wages shall not fall,
and a ceiling beyond which the
hours of industrial labor shall not
rise.
Analysis of Opposition
to Wage-Hour Program.
Here again let us analyze the
opposition. A part of it is sincere
in believing that an effort thus to
raise the purchasing power Of low
est paid industrial workers is not
the business of the Federal Govern
ment. Others give Zip service"
to a general objective. but do not
like any specific measure that is
proposed. In both cases it is
worth our while to wonder whether
some of these opponents are not
at heart opposed to any program
for raising the wages of the under
paid or reducing the hours of the
overworked.
Another group opposes legislation
OF this type on the ground that
cheap labor will help their locality
to acquire industries and outside
capital, or to retain industries
which today are surviving only
because OF existing low wages and
long hours. 1t has been nv
thought that, especially during
these past five years, this Nation
has grown away from local or
sectional selfishness and toward
national patriotism and unity.
I am disappointed by some recent
actions and by some recent utter
ances which sound like the philoso-
ply Of half a century ago.
There are many communities in
the United States where the aver
age family income is pitifully low.
1t is in those communities that
we find the poorest educational
facilities and the worst conditions
OF health. Why? 1t is not be-
cause they are satisfied to live as
they do. 1t is because those COM
munities have the lowest per capita
wealth and income; therefore the
lowest ability to pay taxes and
therefore inadequate functioning
local government.
Such communities exist in the
East, in the Middle West, in the
Far West and in the South. Those
who represent such areas in every
part OF the country do their con-
stltuents ill-service by blocking
efforts to raise their incomes, their
property values and therefore
their whole scale of living. In the
long run the profits from child
labor, low pay and overwork enure
not to the locality or region where
they exist but to the absentee
owners who have sent their capital
into these exploited communities to
gather larger profits for them
selves. Indeed, new enterprises
and new industries which bring
permanent wealth will come more
readily to those communities which
insist on good pay and reasonable
hours, for the simple reason that
there they will find a greater in
dustrial efficiency and happier
workers.
End of Starvation Wages
And Long Hours Held Sole Aim.
No reasonable person seeks a
complete uniformity in wages in
every part of the United States;
nor does any reasonable person
seek an immediate and drastic
change from the lowest pay to the
highest pay. We are seeking, of
course, only legislation to end star
walton wages and intolerable hours;
more desirable wages are and
should continue to be the product
of collective bargaining.
Many of those who represent
great cities have shown their under
standing of the necessity of helping
the agricultural third of the Ma
ton. I hope that those who repre-
sent constituencies primarily agri-
cultural will not underestimate the
Importance of extending like aid
to the industrial third,
Wage and hour legislation, there
fore, is a problem which is def
nitely before this Congress for