Evening star., 1938-05-31

BY the Associated Press.
Casting precedent aside, Senator
Borah. Republican, of Idaho, criticized
both House and Senate wage-hour bills
90 vigorously today that attempts to
reach compromise may be retarded.
Senator Borah, member of a joint
committee seeking an agreement on
the legislation, declared the Senate
bill would give Hitler like" powers to
a hve-member board which could ex-
cuse some firms from compliance with
pay and hour regulations.
He made it plain he would not sup
port that provision, despite custom
which holds that conferees must back
the measure approved by their cham
ber.
Nor will he agree, Senator Borah
said, to accept bill without wage diff
ferentials. The House measure car
ries no such differentials.
The Idaho Senator expressed his
views shortly before congressional
leaders went to the White House for
their weekly conference with President
Roosevelt on the legislative program.
Their only question Of pre-adjourn-
nent procedure was whether they
should try to revive any part Of the
Presidents Government reorganization
program. II that is not done, they
hope to end the session by June IL.
Senator Boreh, however, said he
did not believe a wage-hour agreement
cottid be reached by that date.
Thomas Advises Caution.
His appeal against too speedy con-
hderation of the legislation followed
an expression of caution by Chairman
Thomas, Democrat, of Utah of the
Senate conferees against accepting
"any old bill" He added, however,
that he thought a satisfactory meas
ure could be worked out quickly.
Taking an opposite view from Borah,
Thomas bid for unified labor support
of the "jurisdictional" board empow-
cred by the Senate bill to grant ex-
eeptions and exemptions to pay and
hour regulations.
Commenting that labor, "often be-
trayed at and after the polls, Is Won
dering and uncertain" he said he be-
lieved 1t could trust the administers
ton and Congress to set up fair
board. This was regarded as an over
ture to the American Federation of
Labor. which has opposed creation of
such board and which has espoused
the House version of nationally uni
form standards of hours and pay.
Senator Borah said he thought the
issue had resolved itself into two ques-
tons. 6
"We have" he said, wage differen-
1als on one hand and the creation Of
. board on the other hand. If the
board Is created as the Senate passed
the bill, its name would be Hitler and
not a board.
II look upon a wage-hour bill my
self as almost entirely humanitarian
problem. 1t will add very little to pur-
chasing power and very little to en-.
ployment.
ut will not affect such industries as
the automobile, steel or railroad in
dustries. They are already within
the terms Of each of the bills. But
where labor is unorganized and there
fore without protection as to wages and
hours, there is need of legislation"
Favors Wage Fixing.
Senator Thomas said he favored fix
ing minimum wages at 40 cents an
hour and maximum work week at
% hours, with the board empowered
20 grant exceptions, as the Senate
bill provides.
He argued that there was nothing |
weak or ineffective" about this method.
as compared to the rigid terms of
the House bill fixing a 25-cent mini
mum wage and a 44-hour week. The |
hourly wage would increase to 40 cents
In three years, and the work week
would drop to 40 hours after two years. |
The controversy over wage-hour
legislation far overshadowed Senate
consideration of the only other re-
major issue-relief.
Administration supporters were be-
Bet by various proposals to "earmark"
much of the $4,000, COO, 900 authorized
by the relief and public works bill,
but they laid the basis for a counter
attack.
Senator SchuaIIanho,t D.~a