The Waterbury Democrat., 1938-10-24

ment proceedings.
Appeals Against Suits
He appealed to workers against
instituting unnecessary suits against
employers. No employe, he said,
should sue to hamper of intimidate
an employer. He promised his divi-
sion would use its full powers to
guarantee fair treatment to both
employer and employee"
President william Green Of the
A. r. of l.. told questioners that he
was establishing 500 special COM
mittees In as many cities attached
to municipal central labor organiza-
tons to Concentrate efforts in be-
helf of enforcement" This A. F. Of
l.. program to police the act prob
ably shortly will be extended to all
1872 cities In which central labor
bodies are organized.
There was burst of direct action
and protest against the act as its eff
fective date neared. Some businesses
suspended, others threatened to sus-
pend and some communities were
fearful that concerns might close.
Most of these reports came from the
south and the number Of persons
involved was several thousand -
some estimates put 1t as high as co.
900. Andrews said he was not dis
turbed by such developments and
predicted that familiarity with the
act would reconcile dissenters to its
provisions.
After Political Battle
Federal wage-hour regulation was
imposed after a political battle
which divided the new deal-Demo-
cratic party and was O factor IN the
so-called purge" by which the adj
ministration sought in this years
primary to eliminate selected con-
servative Democrats from congress.
Chairman John j. O'Connor OF
the house rules committee opposed
wage-hours legislation and helped
delay passage until June, 1888. Pres
ident Roosevelt last month punished
OConnor by helping defeat him in
his campaign for Democratic re-
nomination to ten house. But
O'Connor won Republican nominal
ton in his regular New York City
distract.
Most Democratic opposition to the
wage-hour bill was from the COM
paratively conservative solid SOUTH
Chairman John L. Lewis and the
Clio strongly supported the legisla-
ton but the A. F. Of L. was less en-.
thusiastic.
Congress hoped 10 accelerate i'm
position of wage minima above Is
cents by providing for industry COM
mittees. These may recommend in
dustry-wide minima UP to 40 cents
an hour at any time and by agree
ment with the administrator the
higher wage rates may be effected.
But q combination Of lack OF time,
incomplete personnel and lack OF
funds has delayed appointment OF
industry committees and added to
the confusion Of providing business
with official instructions Of its re-
sponsibilities and duties under the
act.
Seven Governors Agree
Washington, Oct. 24-(UP)-Gov-
ernors of seven states today pledged
cooperation to Wage-Hour Admin
istrator Elmer r. Andrews IN en-
forcing the fair labor standards act
which became effective today.
-Four Of the governors represented
southern states-Alabama, Texas,
Mississippi and Louisiana. The
others were Iowa, Utah, and Ne
vada. Governor Bibb Graves Of AL
ALBANIA announced he had author
lied his state labor department to
employ additional inspectors to aid
in enforcement work.
Andrews expected additional Of
fers Of cooperation from governors
Of the other states. He addressed to
all state executives an appeal for
cooperation and asked them to
send representatives to state labor