Evening star., 1942-04-12
Vinson 10 Ask
48-Hour Week
AT Regular Pay
House Is Expected
To Get Modified
Bill Tomorrow
BY the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
Modified legislation to curb
war profits and provide for a A.
hour Work-Week without over
time pay was drafted yesterday
by Chairman Vinson of the
House Naval Affairs Committee.
Back here after sounding out
sentiment in his Georgia district
on the controversial question of
curbing labor activities in war pro-
duction plants, Representative Vim
son said he would present the new
measure as a substitute for the
more stringent Smith-Vinson bill
which he and Representative Smith,
Democrat, of Virginia introduced
earlier.
Concurren tly, Representative
Smith, in a radio address, charged
that labor disputes now flourish
and grow in a setting of uncer-
tainty and confusion" and called
for an eight-point labor policy based
on the 48-hour week and entailing
also limitation on profits.
Introduction Due Tomorrow.
The new Vinson bill is expected
to be introduced in the House to-
morrow, projecting into the spot
light once more the war labor fight
that was suspended by the Easter
holidays.
A week from tomorrow, the Sen
ate is due to take up the labor re-
lations issue. A Senate-House con-
ference already is wrestling with
the war profits problem.
The Vinson bill has five principal
provisions.
l. A normal 48-hour work week
Gnstead of the present 40 hours
with time-and-a-half pay for extra
work beyond that maximum.
2. An 8-per-cent profit limitation
ION all war work on contracts o.
500, 900 plus $4,000 cushion
allowance" to provide, MI.
said, IAN incentive to encoyraas 10
conversion of small industry to ~a-
production"
Freezing Union Status.
3. Freezing Of the union status
in industry; plants now operating
as closed shops would retain that
status for duration of the war,
while unions would be prevented
from converting open shops to
closed.
4. A IS maximum for initiation
fees to any union engaged in war
production.
5. A system of incentive bonuses"
for workers.
The Smith-V -Vinson bill calls for a
6 per cent profit limitation, and
suspension of the 40-hour week and
the closed shop in all plants
handling defense contracts.
AS Mr.. Vinson explained it. the
cushion profit allowance would op-
crate in this manner:
On a 100000 contract, the con-
tractor could receive 8 per cent, or
$4,000, plus the $4,000 cushion or a
total of $4,000. On a 100000
contract, the profit would amount to
$50 900, or 86 per cent. Mr.. Vinson
said that as the size of the contract
grew, the comparative importance
of the cushion" diminished.
Outline of Smiths Program.
The Complementary labor pro-
gram, outlined in an address pre-
pared by Representative Smith for
a C. B. S. broadcast, included:
mo strikes until the workers
themselves, after 80 days notice,
have by majority of the employees,
in a Government-supervised elec-
ton, voted to strike.
An absolute prohibition against
all jurisdictional and sympathetic
strikes.
An absolute prohibition against
boycotts of products in order to COM
pei recognition of union.
AN absolute prohibition against
violence and intimidation in labor
disputes.
"A cessation of all drives and de-
mands for the closed shop, the
union shop. and all shades thereof,
with guarantee to unions of the
continuation of all present volun-
tary closed shop agreements.
Initiation Fees and Dues.
"a re-affirmation of the right Of
free Americans to work without pay
ing tribute, to be implemented by
limitation on initiation fees, dues
and assessments.
Mr.. Smith said that the patience
of the American people had been
taxed to the point where they were
demanding legislation for a definite
war labor policy.
TT is no answer to this insistent
demand" he declared, "' to say
that it is inspired by Hitler, or Mus
solini, or that those who sponsor
legislation are labor baiters or sixth
columnists. Name-calling is the
(See LABOR, Page A-8)