Evening star., 1938-05-23
BY G. GOULD LINCOLN.

BY G. GOULD LINCOLN.
The House today by a vote of s22
to 70 discharged the Committee on
Rules from further consideration Of
the Norton wage-hour bill and brought
that measure before the House.
The overwhelming vote to discharge
the committee was followed promptly
by the adoption of special rule to
consider the bill, with five hours gen.
eral debate. The rule was adopted
without roll call.
The vote to discharge the commit
tee was not an accurate test OF the
sentiment for and against the wage
hour bill, because number of mem-
bers who are expected to vote against
the passage of the bill were recorded
in favor of the motion to discharge.
Opponents of the bill, particularly
those from the South, will make
desperate efforts to amend the meas
ure. The administration forces, how.
ever, appeared to be in full control.
and, aided by some Of the Repub-
Icans. expected to bring about the
passage of the bill as 1t was reported.
Democratic leaders predicted the
Norton bill will pass by an overwhelm-
ing vote. They further predicted it
would pass without amendment.
The revival Of wage-hour legislation
in the House followed a demand by
President Roosevelt several weeks ago
that something be done. 1t appeared
for a time the House Labor Committee
was hopelessly divided, and that even
| If it agreed upon measure, 1t could
not obtain a special rule for consider
alton from the Committee on Rules.
Under the insistence Of the adminis-
tration the Rules Committee finally
brought out the Norton bill. The
Rules Committee, by vote Of 8 to 6.
declined rule. The measure was
brought up today on petition signed
by 2l8 members of the House, ma
jority. to discharge the Rules Com
mittee.
Short Debate Permitted.
Under this procedure, 20 minutes
of debate was permitted, divided be-
tween the supporters and the oppo-
nents of the motion to discharge.
The special rule for the considera-
ton of the bill, obtained by the vote
to discharge the committee, PROVIDES
five hours of debate. House leaders
hoped to complete general debate
before adjournment tonight, and to
take the bill up for amendment under
the five-minute rule tomorrow and to
pass the bill by tomorrow night.
Mrs. Mary Norton, of New Jersey,
chairman of the Labor Committee,
started the ball rolling today when the
Speaker laid before the House the petit
ton on motion to discharge the Rules
Committee soon after noon.
Mrs. Norton described the stormy
history of wage-hour legislation IN the
House. calling attention to the fact
that on December II, 1887, such q
measure was recommitted to the House
Committee on Labor by vote OF zig
to 1873. after it had been brought be-
fore the House by the petition route
and after it had been debated in
the House.
Rain Drips on Speakers Desk.
While the debate on the motion to
discharge the Rules Committee was
under way a fine stream Of water
descended from the roof of the House
chamber to the Speakers desk. A
rainstorm was the cause. Towels were
hurriedly placed on the Speakers desk
to catch the water. In few moments
the leak was discovered and checked.
The Norton wage-hour bill provides
that minimum wages in all goods and
services going into interstate COM
merce shall be no lower than 20
cents an hour and that this minimum
rate shall increase to 40 cents an hour
at the end of three years. Maximum
hours of labor start at A week
and are reduced to 40 hours a week at
the end of two years.
The administration of the act Is
placed in the hands of the Secretary
of Labor. No provision Is made for
differentials as between the North and
the South in the matter Of wages or
hours.
Mrs. Norton in her opening state.
ment supporting the bill pointed out
that children under 16 years Of age
are not permitted to work except in
special instances and except for their
(see CONGRESS, Page A-3)