The Kennewick courier-reporter and the White Bluffs spokesman. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1938-1939, 1938-10-06
Bruckarts Washington Digest
Co. Operation of B usiness Sought
ByWage Hour Law Administrator
Andrews Pictures Industry of Country as Mainly
Decent; Will Depend on Citizens, Not In spect-
ors, to Make Law Work Warns Against Chiselers
BY WILLIAM BRUCKART
National Press Bldg, Washington. DC.

WNU Service. National Pres
WASHINGTON ~ Mr.. Elmer F.
Andrews hasn't been in Washing
ton long enough yet to become eth
er widely praised or cordially hated,
but he has started on his job as adj
ministrator of the new wage and
hour law, and SO 1t will not be long
until the country knows him. He
has tough job: one Of the toughest
indeed, since Gen. Hugh Johnson
tried to run MIRA. Thus, it seems
proper to review and examine some
of Mr.. Andrews announcements
since he came into the admins
tration. +. q.
His main theory of proceeding
with new and wholly untried
policy Of law is to gain cooperation
of business, the business which the
law is to effect. He pictures the in
dustry of the country as mainly de-
cent, as willing to do the right
thing, and to that extent certainly
he is entitled to commentator. For
all too often in the last five years,
all business has been grouped by
first one New Dealer and then an
other, as being crooked. Mr.. An
drews feels apparently that business
is honest until its records show 1t to
be dishonest, and then to apply the
lash to the individuals, and not the
whole industry, IS wrongdoers.
1--WE are going to depend upon
the citizens of the United States,
not an army of inspectors from
Washington, to make this law
work." Mr.. Andrews said in re-
cent speech.
The administrator further es-
poused the policy of giving the
states the job of enforcement with
in their jurisdiction as far as that
can be done. To this, he added that
the law enables worker to sue for
double the amount due If any en-
ployer fails to pay the minimum
wage, explaining that this provision
takes one enforcement phase out Of
the hands Of the federal government
and creates watchmen Of every
worker. Since the law, with its min
imum of Is cents an hour becomes
effective October "a, (where inter-
state shipments of products are
concerned) Mr.. Andrews obviously
believes that individual workers will
get pretty well acquainted with
their rights before the effective
date.
Asks for Cooperation
To Minimize Crookedness
Mr.. Andrews warned against CHS
selers. He took the position in an
interview that chiseling was to be
4expected and added that "chiselers
will get rich and fair employers will
60 broke In the short run" Of things,
but he seems to believe that there
can and will be sufficient coopera-
ton to insure the minimum Of
crookedness, undertaking and
cheapness. At least, 1t IS hoped the |!
condition viii work out that way. |
Although I never have believed
that a federal wage and hour law
would prove satisfactory, it is en-
titled to q fair chance to show
whether it can or cannot be worth
while as national policy. And Mr..
Andrews is surely entitled to the
cooperation for which he has ask
ed unless he develops like so many
other New Dealers to whom extra
ordinary power suddenly has been
entrusted.
From q quarter of century OF
observation, am inclined to the be-
lief that the great majority OF bust
ness concerns will come clean" IN
their relations with the new federal
office. Obviously, some will not, but
the bulk will try to abide by the law
as they understand it. So, I think
it 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 suspicion OF vi
olation by, competitors. There Will