Montana labor news., 1950-02-02

recognized that there are legitimate
role, Tor the Government to play
~ protecting our people from eco
nomic injustice and hardship. Our
founding fathers explicitly stated
TIM, In the Preamble 10 the Con-
,,itutipn oi the United States, il i,
declared that this Government was
established, among other reasons.
" promote the general welfare"
Until 1888 the objective OF pro-
uding Tor the general welfare had
been supplemented primarily through
state and Federal legislation 10
foster and protect business enter
prise There had been few success
iul attempts before 1883 to protect
orr people a, individuals. Even
the iir,t Federal attempt to provide
a floor under wages IN various in
dn>,rie, failed when the National
Industrial Recovery Act was de
clarcd unconstitutional in 1855.
We icit. however. that a govern
mcni which could. Tor example, pro-
lcci business from the unfair COM
petition ri monopolistic practices
was not powerless to protect the IN
dividual> from the social and eco
numic evils OF law wages. Therefore
We enacted. in 1888. a Federal wage
hour law. In so doing. We declared
our purpose 10 eliminate from the
channels OF MINER all compc-
ti,ion based on labor practices de-
trcmcntal to the health and we'll
being Of the Nations workers.
Three basic provisions were writ
ten into the statute TO achieve that
goal The law Sc, a firm floor
under wages. Thi, meant that a
man would no longer need relief
money ior food alter he worked a
iull week Thcn. the law encouraged
the Spreading Of employment By re
curing overtime pay alter a nan
worked 20 hours, No longer would
one man toll 90 or 20 hours a week
while another man was looking for
Ia JOB. The law also sought 70
prevent the employment, Of boys and
girls under 10 in industry. No
longer vas the world OF tomorrow
10 be endangered by impairment OF
the health and cur,ailmcnt OF the
educational opportunities OF the
youth OF today.
This law was a great achievement.
1t had a highly beneficial effect
upon our entire economy. Despite
the prophesies 81 disaster, this law
did not hurt business. On the con-
trary. it helped all segments Of our
population. When the test came.
employers who had feared they could
not stay III business under the law.
found in fact that they could suc-
ccssiully meet is requirements. The
Law added to the purchasing power
OF our lpw-paid workers. and by en-
couraging the spreading Of work
pu, more people or pay rolls This
las thu, gave great impetus TO the
revival OF our economy
A, our economy changed and de-
yclupcd, however, il became appar-
cnt that the floor we had placed un-
der wages would no longer serve a.
real protection to our workers or to
those employers who we're paying
lair wages. As | stated to the Con-
grcs.. the 40 cent minimum wage
became obsolete.
Ours is a growing society. We
cannot afford 10 stand still, and
we cannot afford to have Il leg
islation become outmoded. Conse-
q|lently. in 1910 we re-examined and
rc appraised the Federal wage-hour
las III the light OF the II years
experience We had had with it and
in the context OF our present 25c
billion dollar national economy. The
amendments to the act, which &c
into effect at midnight tonight, con
stitutc our modernization 81 thi'
law.
As now amended. the Fair Labor
Standards Act is a good law. Blu
no law can be drafted which vii
not need denomination in the ligh
81 subsequent development. hay,
therefore asked the Secretary OF La
Dor to keep me informed on the op
Grafton 81 the new law. | am con
iident that our employers and work
crs will lind compliance with TIL
law even easier than compliance
with the original statute in 1888.
look forward to great and lastini
benefits from this legislation.
Our progress in this field point
the way for our future action. w
shall not relax in our efforts TO pro
Vide a better lie for all our people