Evening star., 1939-07-09
A. F. |. Chiefs
Called 10 Map
". P. A. Fight
PorIey Wednesday
To Organize Drive
> To Change Relief Act

BACKGROUND
Required to put in 100 hours
monthly for the same Unoe
earned formerly in so to 80 hours,
w. p. A. 1DOrkerS started Udlking
out at many points last Week, and
Immediately Uere backed bu the
American Federation of Labor
and Congress of Industrial Or
gnntzdttons. As q counter more,
Col. F. C. Harrington, Works
Projects commissioner, announced
that any WOrker leaving Job for
fue days Would be dropped from
the rolls.
By the Associated Press.
The American Federation of La
Dor mustered it's strength, last night
for a supreme effort to have Con-
gress rescind the 130-hour provision
OF the new relief act.
AS protest walkouts of w. P. A.
workers spread throughout the coun-
try, President William Green of the
A. F. of L. called the presidents of
all its unions to meet here Wednes-
day.
1T is our purpose at the confer
ence,' Mr.. Green said in state
ment, ito organize all the political
and economic strength we possess in
an effort to prevail upon Congress
to amend the w. P. A. Act in con-
formity with the policy that has
been consistently maintained for
many years by the Government"
Even as the challenge was sounded
by the A. F. of L. head, there were
signs of growing sentiment on Cap
1tol Hill for changes in the law, but
the Works Progress Administrator
went ahead with plans to enforce
the new regulations. In New York.
one Of the trouble centers. United
States District Attorney John T. Ca
hill advised the w. P. A. admins.
traitor there, 1t. Col Brehon Somer-
veil, that any complaints of inter-
ference with w. P. A. operations
would be laid before the grand jury.
Harrington Calls Meeting.
In preparing to follow out the law,
Col. F. c. Harrington, w. P. A. COM
missioner, called a meeting at Chi
cago for Wednesday and THURSDAY.
when all State w. P. A. administra-
tors will discuss administration of
the new rules.
Reiterating that he personally
favored the 130-hour rule and. in
any event, had no option but carry
out the regulations. Col. Harring-
ton said, The matter is not de-
| batable as far as I am concerned {"
He announced that reports from
! 36 State administra tors showed a
total of approximately $4,000 work
ers had left their jobs to join in
the demonstrations
The commissioner said he had
been advised no disturbances had
accompanied the work stoppage and
that interference with operations
had been very minor except in four
areas-Wisconsin. Ohio, Minnesota
and New York City"
With the situation getting In
| creasing attention in Congress. SEN
ator Murray. Democrat, of Montana
announced he had received assur-
ances of support from many Sena-
tors for his proposed amendment to
eliminate some of the restrictions
that have stirred the controversy.
IL Sponsors Expected.
He said he would introduce his
amendment shortly and that at
least 10, and possibly IL, other Sem
atorS would attach their names as
joint sponsors
Senator Murray said he had de-
cided, for reasons of strategy, to
propose first merely an amendment
requiring that w. P. A. workers re-
ceive the prevailing local wage for
the type of work they perform.
Until the new relief bill went into
effect July l, this was the law. In
place of this provision, the new act
requires that w. P. A. workers must
work at least 130 hours a month to
earn their security wage" This
| resulted in cut in the hourly pay
rates of skilled workers and is the
chief criticism that the A. F. of L.
| dlio Vic ~. L. ~. lldNC VI
| the new rules.
After action on the amendment
another will be introduced eliminat-
ing the requirement that w. P. A..
workers take a 30-day vacation with
out pay after 18 consecutive months
on the pay roll, Senator Murray
said.
On the House side of the Capitol
three members said they were pre-
pairing amendments to restore the
prevailing wage scale of payment
and to prevent any reduction in the
security wage rate. They were Rep
resentatives Keller, Democrat, of
Illinois; O'Connor, Democrat. of
Montana, and Casey, Democrat, of
Massachusetts,.
Some Congress members took the
view, however. that the initiative
for any change should come from
the administration.
Senator Adams, Democrat, of Col
orado, who manages relief measures
on the Senate floor, recalled that
Col. Harrington had strongly in
dorsed the 130-hour work month