Evening star., 1943-04-07
Eight-HourL Law
ChangeArgued
AT Hearing
House Unit Receives
Compromise Plan
On Women Workers
BY J. A. OLEARY.

A Senate District Subcommittee
today heard arguments for and
against the House e-approved bill to
authorize temporary suspension of
the eight-hour law for women where
industries can show it is necessary
to the war effort. Senator Bushfield,
Republican, of South Dakota, sub
committee chairman, took the mat
ter under advisement.
Leading opponent OF the bill was
the Hotel and Restaurant Employees
Alliance, which opposed the bill in
principle but offered as a Compro-
mise that one day of in seven be
required which would limit women
to nine hours for six days. Under
existing law, women in industry
here may not work more than eight
hours day or more than AZ hours
a week
Appearing in support Of the bill,
b. r. TolSon, manager OF the Wash
lngton Terminal Co. predicted that
as the war goes on the railroad
terminal will nccd more women.
but emphasized his company is not
advocating a regular nine-hour day
or overtime as general policy.
Train Travel Volume Cited.
Pointing to the volume of tram
service IN Washington Mr.. Tolson
said the companys only purpose
was 10 be able 10 complete p given
job, If 1t took IS, 80 or 60 minutes
more than eight hours At present.
he said, he has men and women
working side by side under the same
contract, but a woman Cauno. work
beyond eight hours.
The terminal. he said. already has
$50 woman employees and added
that he did not think he was tar
wrong in predicting women Will
work in track crews as they already
are doing in other parts of the
country.
Corporation Counsel Richmond b.
Keech said the pending bill contains
two safeguards not in the bill that
died last year. One limits the war
time work week to 81 hours. and the
other guarantees time-and-a half
for overtime.
Charles E. Sands, spokesman for
the Hotel and Restaurant Employees
Alliance. said his organization would
oppose the bill in principle. even If
it carried double or triple time for
overtime.
Bushfield Comments.
Commenting on the suggestion
that one day off in seven be assured,
Senator Bushfeld said:
Everybody is guarded, I guess,
except the soldiers and the farmers.
They work seven days a week"
The Maryland and District Indlls-
trial Union Council of the CIO,
represented by Mrs. Sidney Katz,
supported the bill, but suggested
further amendments to safeguard
working conditions of women. and to
require showing that all available
manpoWer, white and colored, has
been utilized before the eight-hour
day for women is suspended.
Edgar G. Brown of the National
Negro Council complained of the in
ability of colored men to get Jobs
as bus and car operators with the
Capital Transit Co., and asked for
an amendment to the bill to deal
with that question.
Senator Bushfleld suggested Mr.,
Brown have that question presented
as a separate bill.
Statutes Cited.
Charles NJ Thomas of the Ma
tlonal Employees and Tenants Union
SAID there are Federal statutes as
we'll as a constitutional provision to
justify an amendment against dis
crlmination based on race, color or
national origin.
William Blake and H. D, Barclay.
representatives of local units of
MOTEL and restaurant employees. sup
ported Mr.. Sands in his opposition
to the bill.
Arthur Harnett, secretary of the
Hotel Association of the District.
predicted there would be Very few
instances in which applications to
suspend the law would be necessary
in the hotel business. He said that,
while it may become necessary later
on for hotels to apply, the source of
women employees are being worked
out now without such necessity.