The potters herald. [volume] (East Liverpool, Ohio) 1899-1982, 1938-06-23

ton, the g. |. q. probably will seek
to claim credit for passage of the
Wage Hour bill. No one can or will
pay serious attention to their claims
in the light of the facts. And the
facts are these:
Black Connery Bill Defects
In the last regular session of Con-
gress, the Administration sponsored a
measure, known as the Black -Connery
Bill, proposing to establish minimum
wages and maximum hours for op-
pressed industries engaged in inter-
state commerce.
On assurances from the Administra
ton that ample opportunity would be
afforded to perfect the bill in the
House of Representatives the Ameri-
can Federation of Labor agreed to
facilitate it's passage by the Senate.
The Senate passed it.
However, consideration by the
House was blocked when the House
Rules Committee refused to permit the
bill to come out on the floor. The
American Federation of Labor con-
demned the suppressive action of the
House Rules Committee.
Adjournment Of Congress provided
an interval during which the Ameri-
can Federation of Labor subjected the
bill to close and careful scrutiny. This
investigation showed the bill, as draft
ed, was thoroughly had and danger
Gus.
A. F. of L. Model Bill
Therefore, when the special session
of Congress was convened last fall, the
American Federation of Labor an
nounced it's findings, declared it's un-
alterable opposition to the pending bill
and submitted new, model bill of its
own. These fundamental points were
emphasized:
l. That sound wage and hour bill
must establish universal rock-bottom
floor below which wages could not de-
scend.
2. That it must establish universal
ceiling above which hours of work
could not rise.
3. That it must be simple in admins
|tration.
The Black Connery bill failed to
meet any of these fundamental speci-
Ifications. 1t established wage NOT
MORE THAN 40 CENTS AN HOUR
but provided for the creation of new
Federal board with sweeping power to
fix wages at any point LESS than 40
cents an hour in any industry or To-
cality.
The bill established a work week of
mot LESS than 40 hours a week, but
authorized the board to raise hours
to any point above forty hours week.
Thus the board, if it so desired, could
establish wage rate of one cent an
hour and seventy-hour week. Of
course, the spirit of the legislation was
not so aimed. But we had learned,
through our bitter experiences with
the National Labor Relations Board,
that once Federal Board is given
wide discretionary authority it pro-
ceeds to make it's own laws.
c. l. o. Lined Up Against A. r. of L.
Bill
Every bill of logic and reasoning
supported the Federation's opposition
, to the bill on the obvious grounds that
. it actually was not at all minimum
wage and maximum hour bill. Every
sound-thinking person could not help
but agree that the primary objective
of minimum wage bill would be de-
feated by geographical differentials
But the C. |. O. leaders, ignoring the
economic, industrial and social inter
ests of the workers, continued to sup
port the Black -Connery bill and threat
en- it's opponents with hysterical
diatribes.
: Their attitude seemed to be "we
want any kind of wage and hour bill
regardless of consequences. But the
G.. |. o. dictators were not even con-
. sistent in this position. Because when
the American Federation of Labor
submitted it's model bill, the C. l. o.
frenziedly opposed it.
The American Federation of Labor's
bill provided in essence:
/. A flat minimum wage of 40 cents
, an hour without differentials.
2. A fiat maximum work week of
40 hours for the entire country.
3. lnfractions to be prosecuted by
the Department Of Justice and punish
ed by the Federal Courts with heavy
fines.
Because of the complicated legisla-
tive situation in the House the Fedora
tion bill did not receive hearing.
When the House version of the Black
Connery bill was called up, the Amer
lean Federation of Labor threw its
weight against it and it was recon-
mitted. This meant the bill was killed
for the special session. An attempt
was made to substitute the Federation
bill for the committee bill but this
failed. The special session adjourned
without further action
Satisfactory Bill Followed White
House Conference
When the present session of Con-
gress convened, the Administration re-
allied no wage and hour bill opposed
by the American Federation of Labor
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