Evening star., 1938-05-30
MANY COMMENTATORS OPPOSE
WAGES AND HOURS MEASURE
Press of Country Shows Strong Belief That Bill Will Not
Have Successful Effect on Industrial
Conditions.

With revival of national interest in
the wages and hours measure. many
press commentators ascribe this to the
success of Senator Pepper. an advocate
of the measure, in his Florida campaign.
Notwithstanding the legislative course
Of the bill, press comments express doubt
type of legislation.
THE simple truth is" according to
the San Antonio Express, that wages
statute. AS Peter Molyneaux editor of
the Texas Weekly, points out, the Ameri-
can industries generally pay higher
wages than are paid in other countries
chat have wage-hour laws) because
more wealth to the worker. The reason
why these industries produce more is
that the employees have better tools and
machinery with which to work."
THE House BILL" says the New York
Times, has the simplicity and direct
ness of a campaign document. 1t pro-
vides at the end of three years for a
minimum of 40 cents an hour pay. in all
sections and in all interstate industries
and a maximum of 40-hour standard
week. This 1910 formula has such
political neatness and charm that it will
not be easily abandoned merely because
Of awkward practical consequences. We
do not believe that any amendment to
the House bill would make it economic
ally acceptable. The problem is one
which, by its very nature, can be salts
factorily dealt with only by State law
and close study of local situations
-
"A uniform wage scale everywhere in
the Nation" thinks the Tampa Times
could only result in vastly increasing
unemployment by the shutting down
plants at longer distances from the
greater markets for manufactured
goods"
House members. as result of the sue
cess of Senator Pepper in Florida states
the Grand Rapids Herald, seek only to
save their political hides by doing the
bidding of the President" Similar con-
clusions are drawn by the Chicago
Tribune and Indianapolis News.
This bill could not settle the problem,
but open host of new ones," in the
judgment of the Humboldt (Calif)
Times, while the Buffalo Evening News
concludes: The Bureau of Labor Sta
tistics reports the average wage mini
mum for common labor in July as so
cents an hour in New England. This
compares with an average wage mini
mum Of Al cents an hour for the South
Atlantic States, IS cents an hour for the
Middle Atlantic States and SO cents an
hour for the Pacific Coast. Advocates
of wage differentials point out that the
cost of living varies in these sections
and that any wage-hour legislation
passed by Congress should be realistic.
It Is an interesting point"
It is believed by the Richmond News
Leader that "the proposed legislation
should contain differential, but that 1t
should neither be large nor permanent"
The Nashville Banner holds that "the
dictatorial powers placed in the hands
of the Secretary Of Labor are plain and
un-American."
"The Government has found" recalls
the Macon Telegraph, THAT In several
industries such companies as maintained
the code standard of wages after N. r. A.
had been nullified lost business On the
other hand, 1t was found that those who
lowered wages and increased hours most
gained a. much as 90 per cent in volume
Of business. Prices were cheaper and