Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1938-10-06

BrucIart's Washington Digest
Cooperation Of Business Sought
By Wage-Hour Law Administrator
Andrews Pictures Industry of Country Mainly Decent
Will Depend on Citizens, Not Inspectors, to Make
Law Work; Warns Against Chselers.
BY WILLIAM BRUCKART
WNU Service National Press Bldg, Washington D. c.

II is not from the bulk of business
interests that Mr.. Andrews will get
his load of trouble. There will be
cheap skates who try to take adj
vantage of any and every situation
to gain an advantage on their COM
petitors. That will be one kind Of
trouble that can be traced home
rather quickly. Then, there will be
another kind of trouble that will not
be so easily untangled. It will come
from reports" of alleged violations
some from the ''watchmen,"
some from the chiselers who will
seek to cause trouble for or suspi-
cion Of violation by, competitors.
There will be some labor racketeers
who will try to force union organiza-
ton by threats Of reports" of VIOLA
tons which reports obviously would
be damaging even though they may
not be true. ALI Of these things are
due to come, and it is under this
test that we can best Judge Mr.. An
drews as public official.
Doubts Value Of 'Watchnnen'
In Enforcement Of Latu
AS to the sources Of information
upon which the staff Of the admin
istrator may subsequently act, there
is some reason for doubt. men,
toned some of them above. My
doubt as to the value Of watch
man" in enforcement is based upon
what we all saw during the early
days of prohibition. "Stool pig
cons" they were called then. And
stool pigeons operated everywhere;
some were just plain busybodies,
and others were fanatics. The re-
suit was that gradually disrespect
for law grew up, and this disre-
spect was blamable to a considera-
BILE extent upon the fact the early
provisions of the law encouraged
"squealing" and "squealing" more
times than not is used as a means of
vengeance, of getting even" with
someone who is disliked.
1t has been many years since bust
ness, generally, was said to have a
policy Of "the public be damned"
There can be no doubt that business
conscience has changed immeasura-
bly, since those days. 1t is apparent,
for example, that two of the really
great sins Of employers, namely, OPP
preston Of labor and defrauding Of
labor, have largely passed out Of ex-
istence. Competitors seem to be
watching each other in that regard
and union labor officials have lent a
hand. An employer no longer Is re-
ceived among decent people once it
is learned that he has cheated his
workers Of their wages.
Now, Mr.. Andrews says that one
Of the things he hopes to accomplish
Is to "clean out dark corners" That
Is to say, to finish the job of helping
industry get rid Of that low level Of
humanity which, by virtue of its
momentary power as an employer,
Expresses labor or refuses to pay
wages earned. Surely, the co-opera-
ton of employers and workers alike
Is required in this effort. y Honest
employers have much to gain by
having the dark corners" cleaned
out and disinfected with a good
grade of roach powder. But again,
it is being pointed out in many con-
versations, the administrator must
be on guard as to the sources of his
information. Irreparable harm can
come from missteps in filing charges
of violation because of the trend in
public consciousness towards gener-
al fairness-of which the wage and
hour labor is an evidence.