Evening star., 1939-07-16
W. P. A. Riotinq
Kills Efforts
ToAnend Law
Order to Close All
Minneapolis Projects
Also Follows Strike
BACKGROUND


BACKGROUND
Requirement that relief labor
be paid prevailing 1UdgeS, in most
cases the union scale, 1D1S 1Drit-
ten into latU in 1885 oUer oppoSi-
ton OF administration. 1t 1Uas
finally deleted in 1910 Relief Act.
passed last month, but action has
precipitated Nation-1Uide pro-
tests and aUork stoppages, 1pith
Uiolence and discharges attendant.
By the Associated Press.
Fatal rioting at Minneapolis in
the w. P. A. strike was followed
yesterday by an administration or
der closing all projects in that
city and the abandonment of ef-
forts by group in Congress to
amend the new relief law.
Regional w. P. A. officials said
that with the approval of Col. F. c..
Harrington, national w. P. A. COM
missioner, they were closing all
work projects in Minneapolis for
the time being. They added that
the work quotas might be given to
other parts of Minnesota.
The announcement came II hours
after rioting near a sewing project
had resulted in the death of one man
and the injury or gassing of II
others.
Meanwhile Senator Murray, Dem
ocrat, of Montana, author OF an
amendment which would restore the
prevailing wage scale to relief prof.
ects and terminate the new 130-
hour work month requirement, said
the senatorial group supporting this
idea had decided against pushing
for action at this time.
The strikes, he said, had proved
Embarrassing" to the effort to
amend the Relief Act.
Say President Has Power.
The widespread walkouts are in
protest against the new work re-
quirements which Senator Murray
had proposed to change. These reg
ulations had the effect of requiring
some skilled w. P. A. workers to
work much longer to earn the same
pay GllCy lCCClfCo
the old prevailing wage rule.
In a statement, Senator Murray
said a conference among proponents
Of his legislative proposal had de-
cided that "the present strike situa-
ton renders it inopportune to press
Immediately for restoration OF the
prevailing wage principle"
The Montana Senator added that
those who participated in the
conference agreed that President
Roosevelt had the power to restore
the prevailing wage standards under
the existing law.
Mayor George A. Leach c. Min
neapolis telegraphed an appeal to
Attorney General Murphy for "co-
operation" of the Federal Govern
ment In handling the situation in
his city. He said certain labor ell
ements have openly revolted against
nothing short of Federal interven-
tion can restore law and ORDER
Labor Leaders Suspect F. b. /.
Up to early afternoon, Justice De-
partment spokemen said, the tel
egram had not been received. The
department took the view that at
the moment its only function was
to investigate whether there had
been violations of a Federal statute
making intimidation of w. P. A.
workers criminal offense.
j. Edgar Hoover, Federal Bureau
of Investigation director, said re-
ports of agents would be turned
over to Attorney General Murphy
to guide him in deciding whether
Federal action was warranted
The activity of the F. B. I. men
brought to Mr.. Murphy a demand
from group of Minneapolis labor
leaders to know whether the F. B. I.
was involved in conspiracy
of Justification and intimidation"
against the w. P. A strikers and
the labor movement.
Meantime, efforts were under way
to end the Nation wide strikes which
have resulted in dismissal of an
estimated 1900 to 5000 w. P. A.
workers.
William Green, American Feder-
alton of Labor president, disclosed
that federation officials had pro-
posed to President Roosevelt that
the administration restore prevail
ing wage rates on projects already
started, or authorized, and hold up
additional w. P. A. construction
D until the relief act is amended
La Guardia Makes Like Plea.
A somewhat similar proposal has
been made by Mayor La Guardia of
New York. He suggested that w.
p. A. workers on contracts started
before July 1-when the new Relief
Act became effective-be exempted
from the 130-hour provision.
Some national w. P. A. officials
expressed belief that Mr.. Roosevelt
might ask for formal opinion from
the Attorney General on the various
suggestions.
The Congress of Industrial Or
ganizations, through its weekly pc
riodical, C. I. o. News, asserted that
the heightened work month was but
one issue in this hunger and misery
program" Other factors which
should be considered, it said, were
"the laying off of 100000 w. P. A.
workers which is decreed for the
coming year" and "the provision for
a Starvation layoff for any w. P. A.
worker on the rolls 18 months or
more"
The Workers Alliance of America,
organization of w. P. A. workers,
asserted in statement that I'VE
have not called any strikes and are
not now calling any strikes of w.
P. A. workers"
Herbert Benjamin, general secre-
tary of the organization, said "the
one-day protest stoppage and dem
onstration we have called for July
20 is just that and not strike
At Minneapolis, Walter Frank,
chairman of a Labor Committee
meeting with Gov. Harold Stassen,
insisted that eve are not preventing
anv people from going to work" on