Evening star., 1939-07-27
By JOHN C. HENRY.

John l.. Lewis today described the
Vice President as a labor batting,
Whisky-drinking, poker playing, evil
old man by the name of Garner"
He'll never achieve the presi-
dency of this republic" the C. I. o.
leader roared as he blamed the
Texan for the anti-labor temper Of
the present Congress.
Appearing to fight the proposed
amending of the Wage Hour Act,
the belligerent labor leader stunned
the House Labor Committee and
caused gasps of astonishment in the
crowded hearing room as he loosed
his Vltrlol against the Vice President.
Blasts at Renegade Democrats
Blasting contemptuously at the
Republican minority aided by
band OF hundred renegade Demo-
Gratis who have been conducting a
war dance around the body of labor
on the floor of the HouSe-whirling
like dervishes," Mr.. Lewis added:
Many of them were not above
accepting the help of labor in gain
ing their seats and may plan to ask
1t again.
THE genesis of this campaign
against labor in the House is not
hard to find.
ut is within the Democratic
party.
1T is labor batting, whisky
drinking, poker-playing, ell old man
by the name of Garner.
"Gentlemen may arise and saw
that Mr.. Lewis has made a personal
attack on Mr.. Garner.
Yes, have made a personal at.
tack on Mr.. Garner and I do so be.
cause his knife is searching the heart
of labor.
I'm against him personally. con-
cretely, and in the abstract. I'll be
against him when he seeks the pres
1dency in 1910. And I tell you here
that he'll never achieve the presi-
dency of this republic"
Shortly after Mr.. Lewis made his
remarks, Mr.. Garner was found in
his Office adjoining the Senate cham
Der where he had been presiding.
The c. I. o. chieftain's statements
were read to him by reporters. His
heavy white eyebrows contracted for
moment, then he chuckled and
said, Il have no comment to make"
Join to Resist Amendment.
Mr.. Lewis attack on the Vice Pres
ldent came as organized labor and
the wage-hour division of the De-
partment of Labor joined hands be-
fore the House Labor Committee in
desperate resistance to efforts to
amend the Fair Labor Standards Act.
Refers to Andrews.
Much more mildly, but still point
edly, Mr. Lewis needed" Wage and
Hour Administrator Elmer F. An
dreWs for his espousal of revision to
the law before he had undertaken
his job of enforcement" and before
the act had been given opportunity
to demonstrate its effectiveness"
obviously, the people to whom
the penalties of this law are directed
are opposed to it. Certainly, the
chiSelerS who believe that 25 cents
an hour is too much for an American
worker would like to see it amended.
Even the Amalgamated Association
Of Porch Climbers and Sneak Thieves
probably would like to see it
amended.
But say to you that all of these
amendments could be laid aside for
the rest of this session. And I hope
that the Wages and Hours Admins
tration will give close attention to
the act from the standpoint of its
enforcement rather than from the
standpoint of getting it amended.
"Theer is no possible misunder-
standing as to the attitude of labor
toward this law"
Shortly after Mr.. Lewis had COM
| pleted his testimony the committee
went into executive session to con-
slider the problem.
An extraordinary session forced by
the expressed determination of the
Rules Committee to report out
amending legislation without regard
for the Labor Committees position,
today's meeting called upon spokes-
men of both the c. I. O., the A. F. L.,
the railroad brotherhoods and the
wage-hour division. Without dis
sent, they pleaded for postponement
of all amending efforts in the face
of the tangled legislative situation.
AS the committee convened,
Chairman Norton, Democrat, of New
Jersey explained that pending be-
fore the Rules Committee is only the
bill sponsired by Representative
Barden, Democrat, of North Caro-