Evening star., 1942-03-16
Flood OF LETTERS
Asking Action,
MembersSay
OkIuhomon Gets
$1,000 Requests
In Five Days
By the Associated Press.

PSA SCAAk anu w SuopcIlQ FeQGEdk
statutes prescribing maximum
hours of work was introduced in 4
the House today by Representa- /:
tive Smith, Democrat, of Vir- +.
ginia, and Chairman Vinson Of
the House Naval Affairs Com
mittee.
Their action followed reports on
the floor by nearly a score of repre-.
sentatives that they were receiving I
thousands of letters from their con-
Stltuents demanding immediate sc- f,
ton on labor legislation. 4
Representative Smith is the author
of a H0use-approved bill to ban ,
strikes in defense industries, which I
was passed before this country's .
entry In the war and which is still
pending in the Senate. 4
Work Without Tribute"
The measures declaration of pol ]
icy said that in the prosecution of
war work there should be no limita- :
ton by law or by contract upon I
hours of work" and mo individual
should receive, at the expense of his
Government, compensation in excess 4
Of that paid as straight time under
prevailing law" !
The declaration also said that IL 4
Is 'the inherent and inalienable
right of American citizens to work" A.,
without being required to maintain 4
membership in "or pay tribute to
any person, association or organ f,
iZation."
No company, it continued, should
be permitted to make excessive !
profits" on war contracts, and added 4
that "all laws, customs, contracts
and agreements which violate the i
policies above set forth must, in the 4
interest of national security, be
suspended during the period Of the
existing war; 4
OklahOmans Draft Bills.
The legislation was introduced in
twin measures, one dealing with 4
Navy contracts and the other with
those let by the War Department.
Before the Smith-V -Vinson bill was
introduced two members of the
Oklahoma delegation started prepa-
ration of similar legislation. Repre-
sentative Boren, Democrat, of Okla
homa, planned to submit promptly
bill which would suspend the 40
hour week and ban strikes in defense
industries. and Representative Wick
ersham, Democrat, of Oklahoma,
said he had asked the Legislative
Drafting Bureau TO prepare for him
bill suspending the 40-hour week.
Flooded With kilograms.
Earlier Chairman Norton of the !
House Labor Committee had gen.
eraI talk about labor conditions
with President Roosevelt, but she !
said they had not considered aban-
donement of the 40-hour week or ,
putting ceiling on profits or wages,
Representative Disney, Democrat,
OF Oklahoma, lugged into the well \
OF the House an armful of mail he
had received in the past three DAYS.
protesting ''racketeering and strikes ,
and our failure to suspend the 40.
hour week" Mr.. Wickersham, his
colleague, said he had received $1,000 :
letters and kilograms in five days on
the subject.
Representative Cox, Democrat, Of ,
Georgia, opened the subject when he
cried out for the public to turn on
the heat" and force an "end of
strikes against the Government" Z
Asks Senate to Wake Up"
I am convinced" he shouted,
that only by an infiamed, aroused I
public opinion can Government
boondoggling and racketeering in :,
labor ranks be ended" 4
Immediately Representative Ran 4.
kin, Democrat, of Mississippi jumped
to his feet with the argument that
the HouSe-approved Smith bill was
"soundly sleeping in the Senate" ]
and that "all that august body has to
do is wake up"
There seems to be change OF 4
heart here" commented Repre-
sentative Rich, Republican, of Penn
sylvania, referring to rejection two
weeks ago by the House of suspen-
sion of the 40-hour week. But the
folks back home don't need to write
me because I've been for this al
along" -,
Representative Cartwright, Demo-
crat, Of Oklahoma told the House
that "prairies are afire in Oklahoma :
and John @. Public is aroused as
never before"
The people of Oklahoma feel we -.
must get to work now, not in l943 or
1914" he said.
4,s42 Sign Petition.
Representative Ridley, Republican,
of Oklahoma placed before the
House petition bearing 4,S42 names /.
which he said came from Enid,
Okla, and urged action Immediately
on anti-strike and 4O-hour-week ]
suspension bills. He received permis-
sion to speak for 20 minutes in the
House at the close of business to-
day. -
Representative johnson, Demo- =,
crat, of Oklahoma told the House.
the Oklahoma delegation would op-
pose any recess of Congress until \
1t had acted on elimination of the 4
40-hour week in defense industries
for the duration. \
Representative Monroney, DEMO-
crat, Of Oklahoma, who recently
sought unsuccessfully House ap- \
proval of an amendment suspend-t
ing the 40-hour week in defense In 7
dustries, said he would introduce
the proposal again II necessary, but-N
he would prefer to support some
of the similar pending measures.
Senator Lee, Democrat, of Okla
homa said he did not expect to in
troduce new legislation, but would
try to get action on bills already
| offered.