Evening star., 1942-09-23

the way tnlngS DAVID Lawrence.
are done IN Washington that mat
ter SO important as overtime pay is
made the subject of an executive
order and yet all Of its texts are
not given out to the press. The
original order, together with a state
ment of explanation, was issued at
the White House, but the new order,
amending and virtually reversing the
first order, was not made public at
the White House at all. It came to
light only through other bureaus OF
the Government where it was filed
last week, and this correspondent
happened to publish the first ref
erence to it last Saturday.
The first executive order, dated
September 9, said in its preamble:
Whereas many labor organiza-s
tions have already adopted the pa
triotic policy Of waving double time
wage, compensation or other pre-
MUM pay for work on Saturday.
Sunday and holidays, as such, for
the duration of the war; and where
as it is desirable and necessary in
the prosecution of the war, and to
insure uniformity and fair treat
ment for those labor organizations,
employers and employees who are
conforming to such wage policies
chat this principle be universally
adopted. ETC."
For Effect October /.
There follows then declaration
that mo premium wage or extra
compensation shall be paid to any
employe in the United States, its
territories or possessions, for work
on Saturday or Sunday except where
such work is performed by the
employe on the sixth or seventh day
worked in his regularly scheduled
work week"
In other words, If a work week
exceeds 40 hours, any overtime shall
be paid for at time and one-half,
but If Saturday or Sunday happens
to be part Of single 40-hour week
shift. no premium pay above straight
time should be paid. -.
All this was to take effect on
October /, and 1t was stipulated
that only straight time could be
paid even for holidays if they fell
within the 4o-hour week, but that
time and half must be paid for
certain designated holidays-New
Year Day, July 4, Labor Day,
Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day
and either Memorial Day or "one
other such holiday of greater local
Importance"
The language Of this order evil
dently caused considerable roper
cussions among labor unions and
among employers where contracts
had provided for the contrary. Now,
the President has issued an amend
ment to the original order. The
amendment, dated September II
saws, in effect, that uniformity is
no longer practicable and thus con-
tradicts the very preamble Of the
first executive order quoted above
The full text of the. amendment
says:
"Arl Federal departments and
agencies affected by this order shall
refer to the Secretary of Labor fol
determination, questions Of inter
pretasion and application arising
hereunder.
Wide Range of Choice.
"1n any industry or occupation
in which the Secretary finds that .
wage 5tabilization agreement ap'
proved by a Government depart.
ment or agency is operating salts
factorily, or in any industry o.
occupation in which the Secretar,
finds that the nature and exigencie
of operations make such action nee
essary or advisable for the success
full prosecution Of the war, thu
Secretary may determine that an,
or all of the provisions of thi
order shall not apply to such in
dustry or occupation or to an
classes of employees therein"
In the aircraft industry, for ex
ample. many contracts provide TO
double time on Sundays irrespectiv
of whether it is the seventh da
of work. These could be retaine
now under the language OF tn
new order,
(Reproduetion Rishts Reserved)