The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1961-05-11

/ aNallable uuucf tlle COIllCiGIlCe IT,
port. | demonstrated this fact by
voting for the original bill which
passed the House and provided
for a higher minimum immediate
ly while the bill passed May 3
does not even raise the present
minimum to Sll5 for four months.
The House bill also extended coy
crage on a tested constitutional
/ theory.
The conference bill was obiec-
tionable in the method used to
extend coverage and in the "escala-
tor" provisions. extending over
five years, that eventually raise
/ the minimum to S125.
The provisions are an example
of abandoning principle in favor
of eXpediency. In the hearings be
fore the House Committee on Edu-
cation and Labor, serious conSid-
Grafton was given to the effect
of an increase in minimum wage
on the economy now The Commit
tee found that an increase would
not have adverse effect at this
time. There is, however, no pos
eibie method of foreseeing the
effects that might follow auto
matte changes as much as five
years in the future. The next two
| Congresses should have the
authority to enact Legislation for
the future five year period.
As a lawyer, have great doubts
as to the policy of the so-called
dollar volume test If upheld ii
the court, the bill will effectively
sweep away any future basis for
local governments to resist Fed
eral jurisdiction in the. Fair Labor
Standards field
From the time the minimum wage
h:ll was introduced in the House.
/ had exertcd every effort to pro-
vide for the inclusion of certain
service industry employees in the
bill to meet a universally rec
ognized need In spite Of this,
hundreds Of thousands of work
ers were excluded by the confer
ence bill for political reasons.
I voted mo" on the bill in the
hope that the inequities which
exist would be corrected this year.
l hope that the provisions of the
bill extending for five years are
not an attempt to bury these
inequities until 1865.
This bill should be a great dis
appointment to those who believed
a raise in the minimum wage was
TO become effective Immediately.
The newly covered workers must
also be disappointed-their raise
to Sis per hour will not go into
effect until months before the
1865 Presidential election.
Federal Water Pollution Control
Act Amendments of 1861.
The House also passed legisla-
ton to provide for more effective
program of water pollution con-
troll. The purpose of this legisla
ton is to extend and strengthen
the Federal water pollution con-
troll program and TO assist the
States and local communities in
providing for more effective pro-
grams of water pollution control
at all levels of government. The
bill provides S1OO million for this
purpose.
Providing for an adequate water
supply for the Nations future IS
believed by many to be our most
serious resource problem During
the debate on this bill in the
House, it was pointed out that
current estimates show that by
1890. the United States need for
fresh water will nearly double.
water will nearly double
| think that the past develop
ment and progress of this program
has been successful through &C.
operation with local authorities
Federal-Aid Highway Act
Amendment of 1861
The House also passed amend
ments to the Federal-Aid High
way Act of 1856. The bill is de-
signed to insure the completion
Of the Interstate Highway System
by 1872. The major revenue pro-
ducing provisions of the bill in
clude the raising of the gasoline
lax from 3 to 4 cents per gallon
on a permanent basis; the increas-
ing of the tax on diesel fuel from
3 cents to d cents a gallon; and
increases on the taxes on tires
inner tubes and tread rubber. The
bill also provides for a reduction
in taxes effective October 1, 1872
the scheduled completion date for
the Federal highway program. The
bill adopted by the House differs
substantially from the original
proposals Of the Administration.