Evening star., 1939-07-30

competitive wage-cutting practices, thus
exerting depressing influence on gen.
eral wage standards of hundreds of
thousands of workers whose livelihood
depends upon the functioning of one Of
the oldest industries created by man.
The recommended minimum wage will
provide measure of protection for the
great bulk of mills. South and North,
against type of competition that is in
furious to the industry and its workers
and ultimately to the country as whole"
The findings of the majority of the
Textile Committee answered many OF
the general arguments raised against the
original wages and hours bill, namely
that living costs were lower in the South
because of its more temperate climate
and that the South was burdened by dis
criminatory freight rates to the populous
centerS of trade.
Advantages for Southwest.
The mills in the Southwest undoubtedly
enjoy transportation advantages to some
markets over mills located in other parts
of the country To other markets the
Southwest may operate under shipping
cost disadvantage as compared with mills
situated elsewhere. If wage differentials
were to be granted to equalize transporta-
ton costs for all mills to all markets
the task would be fantastic and impos-
sible of achievement.
AS to cost of living in the North and
South the majority relied on the studies
by the Bureau of Labor Statistics and
w. P. A. These studies were made for
Administrator Andrews to get a general
comparison of costs, not for the textile
industry alone.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics COM
pared costs of the average workers fami-
lies living in small towns in five North
ern and Central States, Chillicothe,
Ohio; Dover, N. H.; Hanover, Pa; Hol-
land, Mich. and Little Falls, N Y, with
the costs in five Southern towns Hat
tiesburg, Miss; Sherman, Tex; States
vile, N. c.; Sumter, S. c., and Thomas
vile, N. C. This survey found the aver
age living cost was 81 per cent lower
for the five Southern towns.
The report showed that while, on the
average, rents in the five Southern
towns were rs per cent lower for similar
housing in the North, and fuel costs
were 342 per cent lower, there was no
essential difference in food costs The
cost of clothing was per cent higher
in the five Southern cities; furniture,
furnishings and equipment, 38 per cent
higher and miscellaneous items, per
cent higher
Wage earners in the five Southern
cities" the report said, ION the average
would have to spend s13 less annually
than wage earners in the five Northern
cities to live on the same standard"
Definite Benefits Seen.
Many witnesses before the Textile
Committee, particularly representatives
Of labor unions, emphasized that even
when the wages and hours law reached
its greatest effectiveness in 1e45, with a
40-cents-an-hour minimum for 40-hour
maximum work week, the minimum wage
for so weeks will be $500, we'll under the
emergency budget" compiled by the
W. P. A.
Administrator Andrews told the writer
that he was convinced that the new law
had definitely benefited the South, al
though he was unable to produce break
down of wages and hours figures to prove
his contention. Isador Lubin, commits
sloner OF labor statistics, was of the same
oellef and pointed to the latest figures
showing increases in pay rolls and en-
ployment compared with year ago.
"Tn the mast Mr. Androu,c cold ss,,,oca
were so low in some places that I'm re-
minded about stories of localities where
electricity was so cheap that people
didn't bother to turn off electric lights
during the daytime. Under the new law.
the old low-wage employers are going in
for efficiency. Call it the "stretch-out"
If you will. But they are learning new
things about their old business, and the
workers are satisfied because of the
higher wages.
"Of course, some marginal plants are
going out of existence and blaming the
new law. But others are coming in
That's natural order. Poor manage
ment, chronological improvements, pure
ly local conditions have forced some
plants out of business. That would have
happened whether wages and hours had
been regulated. There would have been
some industrial deaths if we had set the
minimum wage as low as 10 cents or IS
cents
The war between the States" is
destined to go on as long as the South
ern employers and Congress members
seek to lure Northern industries with
promises of fewer unions, lower taxes
and cheaper labor. The Northern manu-
facturers and Congress members will
continue their efforts to equalize wages
and working conditions on a national
scale whenever they see runaway"
plants going below the Mason-Dixon
line. The new law has been in operation
less than 10 months and as yet its op-
ponents have not seen their pessimistic
predictions fulfilled. The evidence so far
available points the other way.