Evening star., 1938-06-11
WAGE-HOUR BILL
CONFEREESC CLEAR
POINTS AT ISSUE
Compromise Accepted by
Southerners, Paving
Way for Measure.
COMMITTEE TO FINISH
WORK By NIGHTFALL
Boards to Set Minimum in Each
Industry Advancing Scale
to 40 Cents.
By the Associated Press.

os bpe hsSoClhtcO fTeSS.
Southern members Of the Joint con-
gressional committee approved TODAY
all but minor details of a compromise
on wage-hour legislation, paving the
way for the committee to finish work
on the bill by nightfall.
Other members of the group previ-
ously had indicated they would sup
port the compromise, which provides
for fexibility in minimum wages
above 80 cents an hour.
The compromise would fix IS cents
an hour as the bedrock" minimum
wage the first year, with no excep-
tions. This would advance to 80 cents
the next year. After this industrial
boards would set the minima by in
dustries, advancing it to 40 cents as
rapidly as possible
Win Additional Concessions.
All minimas would be expected to
reach 40 cents at the end of seven
years. but the Southerners. Senators
Ellender, Democrat, of Louisiana and
Pepper, Democrat. of Florida, won
additional concessions which would
broaden the field of exemptions after
the seven-year limit became effective.
Some sectional factors would be in
volved which would permit, in effect,
geographical wage differential
The legislation would give broad
discretion on pay standards to an
administrator.
The committee agreed on a maxi
mum OF A hours a week for the first
year, with time and half overtime
for all above that. This would de-
crease to q the following year and
40 the third year.
May Grant Exceptions.
Boards charged with reducing the
ma aximum to 40 hours as quickly as
possible would be empowered to grant
exemptions to the hours standards SIM
liar to those granted on pay.
The conferees agreed to exempt in
| dustries where collective bargaining
contracts carry the hours total above
| the general maxima. but In no case
could these exceed Sc a week. In
dustries with . guaranteed annual
wage would be exempted.
Conferees said they tentatively had
agreed that the administrator of the
law would receive $4,000 year. The
Industrial boards to be named by him
would be appointed on a temporary
basis. being paid a nominal salary plus
per diem while they operated.
Presidential Appointee.
The administrator-to be an inde-
pendent ofncial in the Labor Depart
ment, appointed by the President and
confirmed by the Senate-would have
the final decision on the minimum
wage to be paid in any interstate
industry
When the law became operative, the
administrator would appoint the
boards for every Nationwide industry,
These boards, made up of represen-
tatives of employers, employees and the
public would be charged with fixing
the minimum wage and the maximum
hours, within certain limitations for
their industries But if the admins
traitor disagreed with the findings Of
board, he could discharge it and
name q new one He could not, how.
ever, alter the boards findings.
May Initiate Hearings.
The administrator would have the
power to initiate hearings to deter
mine whether the minimum wage of
any industry was too low.
Still undecided was whether these
boards. as demanded by Southern
Senators on the Conference Commit
tee, should take into consideration
the cost of living. freight rates, local
economic conditions, prevailing wages.
taxes and other factors when fixing
| wages and hours.