The potters herald. [volume] (East Liverpool, Ohio) 1899-1982, 1939-11-16
Govt. Contracts
Continued From Page One)

original Walsh-Healey Act, delivered
a trenchantly worded speech favoring
he amendments in which he declared
hat "when the Government itself
spends the taxpayers money, even if
t costs a little more," legislation
should stipulate that "sweatshops
and chiselers and crooked business
establishments shall not get contracts,
but employers who maintain decent
conditions for their workers shall be
rewarded with contracts"
eve all regret the necessity of
law of this kind" Senator Walsh said.
4 wish the conditions in the indus
try and business life Of the country
were such that there was no chisel-
ing, that there were no sweatshops;
hat the Government could purchase
from high-class industries and busi-
ness establishments which are striv-
ng to maintain the best possible
standards of working conditions for
heir employees. But all laws of this
'lind are the result Of abuses and are
ISSlSIeu 10 COITeCI dDuSeS.
"Unless we have a law Of this kind,
hen shoes will be manufactured in
sweatshops; hosiery will be manufac-
.ured in sweatshops; caps will be
manufactured in sweatshops; Army
and Navy supplies will be manufac
sured in sweatshops; clothing will be
manufactured in sweatshops.
Protects Fair Labor Contractors
"If there are still sweatshops ali
.hcse things will be done as they were
done to some extent before the origi
nal public contracts law was passed.
"rhe purpose of the law is to give
protection to industries and to bust
ness establishments that maintain
reasonable hours of labor and that
pay good wages, so that when they
submit their bids they will not be
punished and be subjected to the com
petition from bids Of sweatshops pro-
ducers, but will have an even chance
because we will compel those who
operate sweatshops to maintain the
standards which the others have
"That is the philosophy behind the
bill. The bill is just as much for the
benefit of the fair-minded, progress
sive, liberal, decent employer as it is
for the welfare of employees.
"If time permitted, | could give il
lustrations of the background of the
proposed legislation.
"A few minutes ago ! gave an in
stance of what will be reached by it.
| know Of an instance of an employer
calling his employees together and
saying, Il have chance to obtain a
big contract from the Government.
cannot get it if ! have to maintain
the same standards which my com
petitors maintain, but if you will
agree with me to work longer hours
and for less wages, | will get that
contract
"Mr. President, is such conduct fair
to the employer and to the business
man who is maintaining a first-cass
labor condition in his factory or shop :?
Of course it is not.
One Firm Breached % Contracts
"1n that connection let me read a
case which the Board has to deal
with. 1t illustrates the necessities of
a law of this kind. | merely read a
summary from the report:
"'Thc Sigmund Eisner Co., New
Jersey corporation, carrying on busi-
ness at four different points in New
Jersey was found guilty of breach
ing % Government contracts
Even after this law was passed
that concern was found guilty Of
preaching 23 Government contracts.
Falsitied Workers Time Cards
1.-The corporation admitted that in
structions had been given to its en-
ploycs to punch their time cards in
such a way that the wages earned on
a piece-rate basis divided by the
hours of labor punched on the time
cards would show earnings of at least
37i2 cents an hour, even though the
number of hours actually worked
might have far exceeded the hours
punched on the time card
"ln other words, they gave inStruc-
tons to their employees to manipu-
late the punch machine that it would
show that they were getting mini
mum wage of 37l2 cents an hour
when they were actually getting much
less than that because they were
working a greater number Of hours
than shown on the machine.
"That concern violated 23 Govern
mcnt contracts. Should it not be
punished; should it not be blacklisted
for resortinG to such criminal meth
DDS? And what about the right Of
competitors of this CONCERN the men
who lost the contracts to furnish the
Government tbs supplies because they
we're willing to pay 37ia cents an hour