U.S.A. LABOUR CODES

Greymouth Evening Star, 31 May 1935, Page 7

U.S.A. LABOUR CODES

EFFORTS TO MAINTAIN [BT CABLE —PBESS ASSN.—COPYBIGHT.] WASHINGTON, May 29. The nation has marked time while, from confusion persisting as a result of the destruction of the N.R.A., there to-day occurred a series of slowly clarifying developments. The Liberals! in Congress were evolving a scheme for the preservation of the N.R.A. wage and hour standards, by means of direct Government competition with private industry in the labour market. The Liberals have now proposed ' that the “subsistence wage” schedule shall be scrapped, and that the prevailing wage standard shall be substituted, and also that the Government, with its 4SBO million dollars of a Work Relief Fund, shall make its influence felt, on that basis in every community where labour can be hired. An attempt to pass a Cdnstitutional Amendment, endowing the Federal Government with the power to regulate the labour conditions in industry, regardless of State lines was also being considered. It is further indicated that other groups are urging President Roosevelt to summon the Governors of all the States in order to map out emergency action and to change the United States Constitution in such a manner as to obviate any Supreme Court action interference. Finally, it is urged that industry shall be given the chance to show what it would do by co-operative effort. Large firms and industrial associations have continued to indicate their intention to make no change in the Code wage, hour and price standards, pending a clarification of the situation. PRESIDENT’S STATEMENT. WASHINGTON, May 29. President Roosevelt briefly sketched at a conference with the Press, some of his reactions to the reversal of the National Recovery Act. He said that voluntary action by industry to save the wage, hour and fair trade practices, would be commendable, but it would not suffice to assure a maximum of observance. The President indicated it as his belief that action would have to be fortified by some legal enactment. The President was outwardly cheerful. He said that he had consulted with seventy-five leading men during the past two days, but he had not yet reached a decision. Later in the day it was reported that General Johnson had been invited to White House to act as administrator, and that he lias already started work on the re-drafting of the N.R.A. WALL STREET SALES. WASHINGTON, .May 29. There was again heavy, soiling In the stock market to-day. the Wall Street prices tumbling from one to six points. Cotton declined heavily. Sugar had its worst day for ten years. COAL MINERS TO STRIKE. WASHINGTON, May 29. The coal mine unions have called a nation-wide strike of 150.000 men for June 17, following on the collapse of their wage negotiations with the mine operators.