Evening star., 1939-10-22


not what worries wage and hour on
cials the most. What gives them Sleep
less nights is the thought of what Con-
gress might do to the law through the
Barden amendments.
The administration realized early in
the last session that some changes
should be made in the law Represent
ative Mary Norton of New Jersey, chair
man of the House Labor Committee, ad-
mitted publicly that the law as it stands
has tended to create hardships on en-
ployers, reduce employment and gener-
ally dislocate the flow of business in q
particular industry"
Amendments Withdrawn.
Working with Mr. Andrews, the House
Labor Committee reported a series of
amendments-chie1y exempting white
collar workers getting more than 5000 a
month, and easing the rules for Puerto
Rico and the Virgin Islands-without
opening the law to all kinds of changes.
The amendments were suddenly with
drawn when farm groups began to
clamor for wider exemptions for process
sors of agricultural goods Mrs. Norton
reintroduced them later on, but the
House rebelled. The amendments were
sidetracked by vote OF 167 to ITO.
Then Representative Barden-one-
time stanch New Dealer from North
Caroina-stepped into the picture. Rep
reenting a group of Southerners who
never have liked the law, Mr.. Barden in
troduced amendments which would have
removed upwards of 100000 workers
from the laws protection.
His amendments would lower the wage
exemption to $3.50 month, remove all
limitation on hours for some 100000
office workers, $4,000 packing employees,
10000 vegetable packers, 100000 can
merry workers and hundreds of thou
sands of others engaged in transporting
and processing farm commodities. Then
as coup de grace, he provided for a
SIX months statute of limitations on
workers complaints.
Proponents of the law quaked. What
they had hailed as lasting monument
to social justice, setting up what they
are fond Of describing as "a ceiling for
wages, floor for hours-and a break
for the children" was in danger of
crumbling If the amendments were
passed, they declared.
Orders went out to kill them. Mrs.
Norton and Mr. Andrews-aided and
abetteo by the American Federation Of
Labor-tried. The amendments, how
ever, were reported out of a sympathetic
Rules Committee. The issue reached the
floor of the House. but was not decided
before adjournment The amendments
are now on the calendar, ready to be
called up>at the next session.
Proponents Remain Confident.
It was admitted freely at the close Of
the session that failure to pass the Bar
den amendments was not an indication
of weakness on the part of the wage-and-
hour critics: that many supporters of the
amendments wanted to stall off action,
thinking they could get better pickings
at the next session. There is evidence
that the Barden group thought the new
benefits which become effective next
Tuesday will evoke such squawks from
small businessmen that modification OF
the law will be easier
Proponents of the wage-and- law,
however, remain confident. They argue
that the law is still on the statute books
intact: that it has been successfully de-
Tended from attacks designed to remove
It's protection from millions of workers.
For the present, at least, they say, the law
is secure. Hence, they are busy consoli-
dating their position and preparing to
90 forward with confidence and energy.
Congress was generous in appropriate
ing funds for the coming year. There