Evening star., 1942-02-26
Vote Assured
As Foes Fail 10
Block Proposal
Mccormack Urges
Rejection Of
Smith Amendment
BY the Associated Press.

BY tnt ASeOclaLe0 Fress.
Majority Leader Mccormack
today characterized a proposal
to suspend the 40-hour work
week for duration of the emer-
gency as anti-labor, declaring to
the House, We're in war now,
and we don't want to lose our
heads"
I'VE don't want to undo the work
of so years. he pleaded as debate,
waxing warmer by the minute.
opened on an amendment offered
by Representative Smith, Democrat,
Of Virginia. to an omnibus bill to
grant broad new war powers to the
President. The amendment would
suspend the maximum hour re-
quirements and extra pay for over
time work now provided for in II
separate laws.
Emphasizing that his amendment
would suspend the maximum hour
and overtime pay requirements only
for the duration of the emergency,
Mr.. Smith said he could mot un-
derstand why members persist
in resisting a suspension of those
things . . which are handicapping
the efforts to save this Nation in
its hour of emergency"
He expressed doubt that ma
tional unity" must be purchased"
at the price of the eight-hour day
and the 40-hour week,
Labor's Leaders Criticized.
Asserting that strikes which have
retarded the defense and war effort
have not been desired in all cases
by the workers themselves, the Vir-
ginian blamed some arbitrary la
Dor leaders" for the work stoppages.
I'VE are already living under q
labor government" Representative
Cox, Democrat, of Georgia said.
and rapidly heading into a labor
dictatorship which if not checked
will soon run into labor despotism." i"
Mr.. Mccormack said that the
Smith amendment was so contro-
versial that 1t would impede swift
passage of the important meas
ure," and told the House that Mr..
Smith had attempted unsuccess-
fully to add "anti-labor" legislation
recently to the huge war appropria-
tions bill. N
Mr.. Smith promptly protested
that Mr.. McCormack's statement
was unfair, drawing from the ma
jority leader the rejoinder that
"the gentleman from Virginia Is
thin skinned"
Vote on Proposal Assured.
Mr.. Mccormack declared, This is
a matter that should be left to the
President. He's charged with the
prosecution of the war" He ex-
pressed belief that the amendment
would only "aggravate" the labor
question.
A vote on the proposal-sponsored
by Representative Smith as an
amendment to the omnibus new
war powers bill-was assured when
a point of order raised against is
was overruled.
Representatives Celler and Mar
tin j. Kennedy, New York Demo-
Gratis, and Healey, Democrat, OF
Massachusetts,, argued that the
amendment was not germane to the
other subjects in the bill.
Mr.. Kennedy contended that the
amendment would change the
whole public policy" and that IL
strikes at something basically
American"
The ruling against the point OF
order was made by Representative
Cooper, Democrat, of Tennessee, as
chairman of the House in commit
tee as a whole. 1t was appealed By
Mr.. Kennedy, but was upheld, 2la
to IA, on a standing vote.
Bond Buying Limited.
Before getting to the Smith pro-
posal the House tentatively agreed,
on a teller vote of 1913 to 80, TO
limit to $4,000, ,000, 900 the amount Of
Government obligations purchased
direct from the Treasury the Fed
eral Reserve Banks may have at
one time. AS passed by the Senate.
the war powers legislation would
have allowed the banks to purchase
Government obligations without
limit.
Opponents of the Senate plan
maintained it would lead to inf1a-
ton, charge hotly denied by sup
porters who insisted the power was
needed only for emergency issues
and to keep the bond market stable.
Little Steel" Opens Fight.
At the same time Little Steel"
opened its fight before the War La
Dor Board against the c. I. O.'s de-
mand for a union shop contract and
basic wage increases of 81 day for
the industry's $4,000 employees.
Today's hearing before a three
man panel was confined to dis
cussion of procedure. Actual fact
finding hearings are expected to be.
] gin next week.
Companies principally concerned
are Bethlehem, youngstown Sheet
& Tube, Inland and Republic, but
the boards decision is awaited by
both industry and labor as possible
pattern for future disputes involv-
ing the controversial questions Of
union security" and higher wages.
Demands for establishment of a
policy on these two issues have been
voiced recently in Congress, and by
representatives of Government,
labor and industry.
Union security is term used by
organized labor to cover such de-
mands as a closed shop, union shop,
and maintenance of membership.
william II. Davis, chairman of the
War Labor Board, opened today's
hearing by introducing the members
of the panel and telling the particle
pants.