Evening star., 1961-04-12
Gains Seen
For Kennedy
Wage Bill
BY LEE Nj. COHN
Star staff Writer

tory, they SAID Cney apparently
had picked up enough votes
within the last "a hours to de-
feat an amendment by Senator
Monroney, Democrat of Okla
homa. The Monroney amend
ment is the main challenge to
the Presidents bill.
Senator Monroney, mean
while, ruled out compromises.
"I Just don't see how there can
be a middle ground" he told a
reporter. He said he had re-
jected renewed compromise Of
fers by the administration.
Debate Starts Tomorrow
Senate debate is scheduled
to start tomorrow. The Senate
Labor Committee cleared the
administration bill for floor
action, on a 1872 vote yeSter-
day. In the minority were Re-
publican Leader Dirksen of Il
linois and Senator Goldwater,
Republican of Arizona.
The House last month re-
iected the Presidents bill and
passed a scaled-down measure
backed by a coalition of Re-
publicanS and conservative
Southern Democrats. Only by
winning in the Senate can Mr..
Kennedy hope to salvage an
acceptable compromise bill in
a Senate-H House conference.
IN addition to raising the
minimum wage graually from
81 an hour to S1.25, the ad-
ministration bill would extend
coverage to 4,D63,000 workers
who now are excluded. In
Guided in this group are 2,450,-
0oQ ennployes of retail stores or
chains with gross annual sales
of 81 million or more.
Point of Dispute
The main controversy arises
over the administrations effort
to cover million-collar retail
ers, even if they operate within
a single State, on the premise
that large stores and chains
usually buy goods in interstate
commerce.
Senator Monroney's amend
ment would exempt from COW
erage retailers operating with
in a single State, covering only
those with branches in more
than one State. His proposal
would eliminate ,.bout a mil
lion retail employees from the
legislation. The Oklahoman
contends his amendment would
safeguard the Integrity" Of
the Constitutions interstate
commerce clause.
While declining to predict
the result of the showdown
vote, Senator Monroney said he
expects reasonable support"
He was barely defeated on a
similar amendment last year
losing a 50-4S vote.
PrOuty Move Is Key
Senator Monroney said he
fears Eve are weaker" this year
becailse the administration has
made several concessions to
roundup support.
Administration officials who
had been very worried said one
such Z concession may swing
enough votes to insure defeat
Of the Monronev amendment
They referred to an amend
meHt by Senator Prouty, Re-
publican of Vermont, adopted
yesterday by the Senate Labor
Committee.
While retaining the principle
of covering one-State retailers
the Prouty amendment would
exempt stores receiving less
than $250.0o0 worth of mer-
chandise annually across State
lines. This is a somewhat
broader exemption than one
previously accepted by the ad-
ministration.
Another exemption in the
administration bill would ex.
enapt individual stores with
gross annual sales below $780,
600; even if these stores were
branches Of million dollar
chains.
Would Affect 23.9 Million
Senator Mcnamara, Demo
crat Of Michigan, is the admin.
istration bills sponsor. The
bill would raise the wage flool
for 23.9 million workers nov
covered from 81 an hour tt
$1.15 four months after enact
ment, and to $1.25 two year.
later. The 4,063, 900 newly GOV.
cred workers would start al
81 an hour and rise to SIZE
in three additional annua
steps. They would attain 8
40-hour week in four steps.
About 1.9 million of the
workers now covered earn les.
than $1.l5 and so would gel
raises in the first year. Amone
the newly covered workers
743,000 now earn less than S.
an hour and would get raise,