Evening star., 1939-07-08
Congress Aid Sought
In W. P. A. Strike;
Arrests Threatened
Severance From Rolls
For 5 Days Absence
From Work Ordered
BULLETIN.

nounced today that all State ad-
ministrators had been summoned
to two-day conference in Chi
cago next Wednesday and Thurs
day for the purpose of discussing
A slim prospect of congressional
relief was being balanced by threats
OF legal prosecutions today as w.
p. A. strike against new wage-and-
hour provisions entered its fourth
day.
On notice that their absence from
jobs for five consecutive working
days would lead to outright sever
ance from the relief rolls, most of
the estimated 100000 strikers will
have exhausted this grace period by
Monday night. The demonstrations
began Monday when the workers
began new fiscal year under pro-
visions of the 1910 relief act.
The promise of congressional as
sistance came late yesterday from
Senator Murray, Democrat, of
Montana, sponsor of a rejected
measure containing more liberal
provisions for the relief program
The Montanan announced he would
reopen the relief question in the
Senate Monday if the deadlock has
not been solved.
Prosecution Threatened.
The threat of prosecution, mean
while, came from New York City,
where 1t. Col Brehon B. Somervell,
local administrator, asked the
United States attorney for that area
for full Interpretation of the fol-
lowing section of the Relief Act:
ANY person who knowingly, by
means of any fraud, force, threat,
intimidation or boycott, deprives
any person Of any of the benefits to
which he may be entitled (under
the act, or attempts SO to do, or
assists in so doing. shall be deemed
guilty of felony and fined not
more than $4,000 or imprisoned not
more than two years, or both"
With the backbone of the protest
directed largely at the requirement
that workers must put in 1870 hours
per month to draw the basic secur-
lty wage rather than earn it at pre-
valling rates in fewer hours. CEN
terlng in official strike action bv
numerous American Federation of
Labor building trades councils, the
Federation has called a conference
OF its international presidents here
on July II
This decision of the A. F. L. fol-
lowed a conference Yesterday be-
tween w. P. A. Commissioner F.. c..
Harrington and officials of the build
ing trades department of the Fed
Grafton.
Apparently getting no satisfaction
from the commissioner, the A. F. l..
representatives asserted grimly later
that we are not going to take it
AS the A. F. l.. sent out the call
to its leaders to assemble here next
week. George Meany president of
the New York State Federation of
Labor "a. F. L., declared:
Hourly wages of skilled crafts
men on w. P. A. projects cannot be
slashed without setting a precedent
for private employment.
We won't work below the union
scale for anybody"
With two national organizations
OF w. P. A. workers already backing
the protest, the C. I. o. yesterday,
joined in common cause with the
A. F. l.. to demand corrective action
by Congress. Hitting at the FEEDER
alton for failing to make more of
night against the present law during
ltS consideration in Congress, the
G. l. O. described the walkouts as
evidence of just resentment against
the starvation and ge-cutting w,
P A. bill"
DaVld LASER, president of the
workers Alliance, conferred with
Col. Harrington yesterday afternoon
reporting later that he had pro-
tested particularly at the ruling of
the commissioner that outright dis
charges would be invoked against
rellef workers absent more than five
consecutive work days. Mr.. LASER
SAID the commissioner made no
promises to relax this ruling and
that ne also stood firmly in support
OF the 13O-hour regulation. originally
recommended by the w. P. A.
The Workers Security Ieapue
rival union of w. P. A. workers. re-
ported itself gaining in members as
1t supported the protest and in
structed its followers to Cooperate
with the A. F. L. in strike demon
strations.
One organization numbering manv
reae1 clients in its membership ap-
pealed yesterday for resistance to
the strikes and urged its members
TO remain on their jobs. This was
the United Government Emploves
lnc'' an organization of colored Gov
ernment workers.
Asserting the protest is a strike
against the Government. Edgar @
Brown, president of the organiza-
ton, urged all colored w. P A.
workers to report to those in au-
N'y etAA eilOoC WllO urge Cnem IN
dehance, violence and disloyalty at
this time" '
he said 1t was the opinion of the
U. G. E.. that Negroes, in the South
particularly, would receive as salts
factory compensation under the new
rules as under the old.
Furthermore" he said, "anv
Negro who rejects the opportunity
to support himself and family bv
working 20 days month at the rate
OF 80 hours a week as prescribed in
the present w. P. A. law, which is
f1ve hours less than a regularly en-
ployed Federal post office clerk
works, is unworthy of the great boon
OF American citizenship"
NO accurate count of the Nation
wide number of strikers has vet been
disclosed, but A. F.. L. officials have
estimated about 100000 have left
their jobs. Col. Harrington would
give no estimate yesterday, but ad-
mltted the stoppage is growing but