Evening star., 1938-06-26

OuCeO IN an establishment situated IN the
United States in or about which within 80
days prior to the removal Of such goods
therefrom any oppressive child labor has
been employed" Oppressive child labor in
turn. is a condition to be determined largely
at the discretion Of the bureau, an added
and considerable duty
To undertake this task, the Children's
Bureau estimated it would need about 200
more employees and an increase IN its an
nual budget by about 1928 200. For the
period ending March /, 1t was being al
lotted only $50,00o of the 100000 re-
quested
These two bureaus, Of course. do not
stand for the major items in the wage
hour budget since the administrators sec
tion is expected to run considerably higher.
Functioning under this section, for In
stance, will be the Industry Committees.
those groups Of patriots to be chosen by
the administrator to study the conditions
OF their specific industry, hold public hear
ings and to recommend to the admins
traitor wage floor for the industry under
consideration. The act provides that such
sentation Of employer, employe and the
public, that they should Be paid on per
diem basis and be furnished with counsel,
stenographic assistance, etc.
Ofhcials Of the Department are hoping
that the bulk Of this committee work can
be disposed of by "a groups representing
the "a larger divisions of the Nations in
dustrial activity, and that they may not
take more than 10 days each to do their
work. If these hopes are justified. the In
dustry Committees should cost less than
100000 yearly and involve a relatively
small group of longtime employees.
Committees Have Worked Well.
This committee theory has worked out
well in operation Of the District minimum
wage law for women, where very similar
| procedure is provided, although q some-
| what different committee function in the
| N. r. A. provided a costly and inefncient
| piece Of machinery.
Its expense might be increased under
the wage-hour law If differences of opinion
too often arise between the administrat ator
and the committee. in which case the law
| provides for a review of the problem by
the original committee or appointment Of
a new one.
| A second major responsibility Of the
administrators section will be the inspec-
ton requirements for which dependence
will be placed partly upon the State Labor
Departments and their facilities. Under
the circumstances that only about a dozen
States have adequate factory inspection
services Of their own, and some of these
may not choose to cooperate with the
Federal Government, the responsibility Of
searching out violations looms as 4 large
and difficult one
1t is estimated conservatively that an
average Of about fve inspectors per State
will be necessary, meaning a field force Of
approximately $50. Where States choose to
supply this service compensation Is to
be made to them.
In asking for its first $500 900, the De-
partment estimated that 100000 would be
devoted to the factory inspection require
ments. 1t is realized also that these inspec-
ton requirements probably will increase
as the wage -and -hour standards become
more severe and there Is . consequently
greater incentive toward violations.
Legal Work to BE Heavy.
Looming as one Of the most costly tasks
and perhaps requiring the greatest number
Of employees will be the legal work.
| For, in addition to q chief counsel and
assistants for the new administrative Sec
tion, 1t is expected there will be needed
some extra attorneys In the ONCE Of the
department solicitor to advise the bureaus
on their added duties. There also must be
special attorneys assigned to the industry
committees and to review the orders OF
the administrator with regard to wages
and hours. An examining section also will
be necessary.
With the act carrying provision for in
junction proceedings where violations are
anticipated, rather than depending upon
criminal proceedings which would move
through local United States attorneys, the
need for . siseable litigation sta1 under
the administrator Is evident.
And finally will come the considerable
number Of assistants and supernumerariea
parable number required in minor units d
the department Is . result Of the addet
work sitting down to each division.
Administrator Unnamed.
Much Of the administrative trend accom-
panying the new law will depend upor
the personal qualifications and ideas o
the administrator, yet to be designated.
Even more will unroll itself as tn
problems of applying such law develop IL
| n<,, to- Ind ysefv
for example. may nnd that the standard
defined in the bill or promulgated by th'
administrator work no hardship and com
pliance may be achieved with far less vast
motion and ineficient confusion than At
tended the N. R. A.
On the basis Of the generalized and tenta
tive administrative requirements discusse,
here. it would seem that fewer than 400
extra employees and An annual operatin,
| BUDGET comfortA blv belov a. nNO nn0 ni9h