The Skyland post. [volume] (West Jefferson, N.C.) 193?-1988, 1942-03-12
By STAFF CORRESPONDENT

ed recently WlleIl 'A@ -
conservatives, supposed to be IN
fepor of a bill to drop the 4O-hour
week law, defeated that measure
NV 226 to 81 when word was re-
ce;ved from an "unimpeachaolss
source" that the President opposed
the measure. :. .a o+
Not only did indirect word OF
+ho presidents attitude turn tne
tide on this bill but it also LED TO
y clear understanding among the
majority of the house that at tne
present time there is little use
in opposing the President on any
measure. :, nor
president Roosevelt was par
+;o,,1sr1v vehement in his opposl-
ION to the recent proposal to the
form bloc of the senate to attacll
. o. farm relief measure as a rloe1
~ the 80 billion supplemental
Iuar-fund bill. The farm measure
was aimed at stopping the gov
ernment from selling its store Oh
surplus farm products at less tnan
naritv. Although the Preslo en-
ppnnosed that plan, since he be-
Iieves it would add a billion o e.
lars to the annual cost OF the
nation's food bill, he attacked
most strongly the Suggestion VI
irving to get it through congress
end mast the President by having
Il hitch-hiked on a measure "iil0"
~ Knows will be approved.
During the past few years TINS
,,r.ctice has increased consider
sb1v and a number of measures
, oJ never otherwise would
h m,, become law, have ridden
t + congress on the heels Oh
fnvored LEGISLATION. The fair trace
mice fixing law, which enoea
nrice cutting in many lanes ~
PRODUCTS, is an example OF a Jaw ,
which pl was sneaked through by
this method in spite OF preSloeN
tial opposition. 80, ;,od At
the 4O-hour week WIN
probably mean that any oenel
LEGISLATION aimed at more govern
roent control over labor Will De
n
for some time. AS long
~ there are no serious strikes III
war industries - and oena1o a
Thomas chairman OF the sehate
committee on education ana laooi'
oos,,res rs that there won't be
ne house will probably s'eei
clear of labor measures
The President and Mrs. PERKINS
both pointed out that elimlna'ioii
~ the 4O-hour law would not IN.
crease defense production o y
would simply mean that cer' ara
labor groups would WORK p H,,
bo,,rs on a lower wage scale NOW
- ;s required that labor be pa1o
time and a half for all hours Oh
work exceeding 40 a week. out
so long as they are paid overtlme
here is no limitation on the mum
her of hours they work. IL was
therefore argued that the leglsla-
ion would only mean an increase
IN Profits for war industries with
mt increasing production. 1t was
also nointed out by labor leaders
that such a measure would not
effect union contracts calling tor
. 4O-hour week and would only
hit those who are not union mem
oers.
Miss Perkins, giving her opln-
ion on the measure, said: III
,o,,1d see that it would increase
production, I would be for it, but
T see not economic reason to sup
port it." /
While the record 30 billion war
bill was under con-
sideration in the house, the Presl-
dent demanded further increases
in the speed of production and
asked that all war industry machl-
mes be kept in operation 168 hours
a week. Donald Nelson head OF
the War Production board, i'm
mediately replied that steps would
be taken Immediately toward this
end. In his statement the Presi-
dent warned that victory would
depend on the flow of arms from
our factories this spring and sum-
mer.
New plans to foot the huge cost
of war are now being considered
by the ways and means commit
tee of the house. Secretary Nor
genthau is said to have asked that
an additional $7,000,000,000 be
added to our tax bill next year
and has suggested that $4,000, 0OO,-
900 of this come from individual
incomes. Whether this figure will
be agreed to is of course uncer-
tain, but there is little doubt that
individual income taxes mex t
March will be much higher than
they are this year.
n IL nm nm