The potters herald. [volume] (East Liverpool, Ohio) 1899-1982, 1938-05-05
Green MobiIizes
Continued From Page One)

(Contlnued from Page One)
board thus created could fix the work.
week at 45, 48, so or 81 hours per
week. The American Federation of
Labor regarded support of such a
measure as treacherous. We opposed
this character Of wages and hours leg
islation and secured it's defeat by a
vote in favor of recommittal back to
a committee for further study and in
vestigation.
Following this action, the c.. 1. o.
gave support to another wages and
hours measure which conferred upon
board authority to fix wages and
hours standards sectionally and geo.
graphically; said wages to be fixed in
accordance with a weighted average
(whatever that might be) in accord
ance with the judgment and opinion
Of the board. It further provided that
this measure, would be- administered
by a board. Such legislation, if pass
ed and in operation, would have estab-
lished community and sectional rates
of pay and maximum work-day and
work-week varying in accordance with
the opinion and judgment of the
board.
Gall of this was in contradiction to
the principles which we. insisted
should be. embodied in wages and
hours legislation providing for a, uni
versal, nationwide foundation for
/ ,,,o r.,c orI ooil;ru fcx ho,,rc Tho
American Federation of Labor sue
/ cessfully combatted the influence of
the G. l. O. to secure favorable action
upon such an outrageous measure.
New Bill Provides Floor for Wages
and Ceiling for; Hours
"The House Committee on Labor
finally accepted the American Fedora
tion of Labor point of view. The bill
it has. recommended now provides for
a universal, nationwide minimum rate
of pay of Is cents Per hour with a
provision that it shall be increased to
40 cents within a period of three
years; and a ceiling for hours which
/ provides for AZ hours per week with
a provision that it shall be reduced to
40 hours within period of two years
"The significant, sound feature OF
this legislation is reflected in its pro-
vision for a foundation for wages be-
low which no employer can go, and a
ceiling for hours above which no en-
ployer can require his employees to
serve and work.
"In view Of all these facts the Of
ficers of the American Federation OF
Labor can now call upon the officers
and members of State Federations Of
Labor, City Central Bodies, Fedora
Labor Unions and all affiliated organ
izations to give support to the wages
and hours bill recommended by the
House Committee on Labor and nov
. pending in the Congress of the Unitet
States.
Labor Modified to Secure Favorabl,
Action by Congress
"We have won the first round in {
hard battle against enemies of an!
kind Of wages anil hours Legislation
81 and The c. o. representatives wht
supported wages and hours Legislation
which would have disregarded the es
sential principles of a foundation fol
wages, ceiling for hours, and sim
plicity in administration. 1t is thu
opinion of the Executive Council o:
the American Federation of Labol
that if the wages and hours legisla
tion supported by the c. l. O. had beel
adopted, great injury would hav'
been done the working people of tn,
United States.
"By direction of the Executive
Council am calling upon the officer
of your State Federation of Labor
your City Central Labor Union, Fed
eral Labor Unions and affiliated 10
cal unions to communicate with mem
bers of Congress urging them to sup
{ port the wages and hours Bill, as re
ported by the House Committee OF
Labor.
"Please write and wire Immediately
Arrange for individual members t.
communicate with their representa-
tiyes in Congress, and call upon you
friends and supporters who may b.
either directly or indirectly connecte'
with labor, to do likewise.
"Action on your part is urgentl
necessary if we are to secure the en-
actment of this wages and hours bill
before Congress adjourns.
"Act at once, act vigorously an
convincingly.
"By direction of the Executiv
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AIlAPTY