Evening star., 1938-05-23

parents or persons standing in the
place of parents. She said:
The bill does not interfere with
any person receiving more than 40
cents an hour who works 40 hours a
week or less This should be clearly
understood. 1t in no way interferes
with collective bargaining, but, rather
in my Judgment gives added reason
for it in bargaining for wages over 40
cents an hour or hours less than 40 a
week
The minimum wage and maximum
hours provisions and the child labor
provisions apply equally and similarly
all over the country to all industries
in interstate commerce, just as most
other Federal laws apply. There is
no complex machinery set up to ad-
minister the act, no boards or agen-
cies created
Cox Yields to Dies.
Mrs. Norton entered into an elabor-
ate statement showing the need of
Federal law for minimum wages and
maximum hours for labor. In con-
clusion she said: Il earnestly hope
that when the vote is taken on this
bill, you will prove to the people of
the United States that you have not
forgotten them"
Representative Cox of Georgia,
bitter opponent of the bill, had charge
Of the time for the opponents. He
yielded his 10 minutes to Representa-
tive Dies of Texas, member of the
Committee on Rules. The Texan said
that the Black Connery bill, which
had been recommitted by the House
last December, represented one ex-
treme of wage-hour legislation and the
Norton bill represented the other
The former, he said, set up board
to fix hours and wages, with unlimited
discretion, practically, which he said
was extreme flexibility. The Norton
BILL he said, is rigid. He suggested
that some medium ground might have
been reached. He argued for a de-
centralized machinery before which
an employer can get his day in court"
He insisted that the States should
have some say in the important matter
of fixing wages and hours of labor, and
that the Democratic platform had
said as much.
One criticism Mr.. Dies made of the
Norton bill was that it gives the
nSecretary of Labor the right to say
what constitutes interstate commerce.
why couldn't this House decide
and write into the law what consti-
tutes interstate commerce. he asked.
He quoted from letter written by
Miss Perkins, the Secretary of Labor,
saying she believed Congress should
define the law of interstate COM
merce.
IT recognize the fact that Congress
Is going to pass this bill, even though
1t be unworkable; that the supporters
of the measure, following the advice
OF Ben Cohen and Robert Jackson.
have banded themselves together and
say that there shall be no amendment.
If this bill becomes law, it will be
stricken down by the highest court"
O'Connor Supports Motion.
Mr.. Dies added that in view of the
support of william Green and John
L. Lewis, with all their political power,
the bill would surely 60 through.
= Representative John O'Connor OF
New York, chairman Of the Rules
Committee, supported the motion to
discharge the committee. I'VE have
q BILL" he said, "the working people
demand"
He said that Congress must put the
urge" behind some of the backward
States in order to see that labor re-
ceived living wage.
REPRESENTATIVE Cox interrupted to
suggest that this legislation would put
100000 workers out Of employment.
II don't agree with you," shouted
'Mr. O'Connor.
When the bill was finally before
the House, Mrs. Norton opened the
general debate with plea to the
House to pass it without change. She
predicted that if a move to amend
it to provide for wage dif1erentials
was successful, there was a strong
likelihood the measure would meet
the same fate as its predecessor, the
Black -Connery bill. She added:
II don't believe such move will
be successful. Let's give this legisla-
ton the consideration it deserves. It
is necessary If we are going to help
the underpaid workers Of the country"