Evening Star Newspaper, April 9, 1937, Page 6

A—6 *x Latest Wage Laws Stress “Fair Return” for Services Health and Morals Standard Under District Act Fail to Receive Emphasis in Recent Enactments. The minimum wage law for the District is now in eflect, although President Roosevelt has suggested that the Commissioners delay their appointment of the wage board until amendments to the law have been considered. This article ex- plains some of the fundamental differences between the old local law and the more recent laws of New York and other States. health and morals wheréas the later legislation directs itself principally to establishing a wage minimum com- mensurate with the value of services rendered. | Enacted in 1918, invalidated in 1923 and resurrected some 10 days ago, the District of Columbia law states that | its purpose shall be “to protect the | women and minors of the District | ' from conditions detrimental to their | Two broadly contrasting objectives of | minimum wage laws for women and | minors are disclosed in comparisons of the model statutes of New York, New Jersey and New Hampshire with those | enacted earlier for the District of Co- | lumbia and the State of Washington In brief, the difference is one of ap- proach with the earlier statutes plac- ing 2 on preservation of gives Completes program that health and morals, resulting from | wages which are inadequate to main- tain decent standards of living.” Powers Granted Board. To effect these purposes, it author- izes establishment of a three-member beard and gives that board power to | $15.50 per week for women in the | investigate and ascertain wages of |printing THE EVENING such inquiry and to require from em- ployers true and full statements on wages. Each employer is required to keep a register of women and minor employes with hours worked and wages paid. If, after'its investigation, the board 1s of the opinion that “any substan- tial number of women workers in any occupation are receiving wages inade- quate to supply them with the neces- sary cost of living and maintain them in health and protect their morals,” it may then call » conference of em- ployers, persons to prepare recommendations. Public hearings then are authorized, with a board order on minimum wages for the industry under consideration being the ultimate result. If the job is being done on a piece- work basis, the minimum rate may be 80 adjusted. Provision also may be made for part-time work and.appren- tice workers. Fair Return Ignored. In none of these processes is any mention made in the law of determining a standard of fair return for services rendered. On the basis of health and morals, however, the board did establish dur- Ang its brief life minimum wages of and publishing industry, women and minors, to examine all |$16.50 in the mercantile and hotel records of empl motorists Super-Service throughout the District... IS THE PAST two years Gulf has been doing things here in Washington. Just look around you. Beautiful, big Gulf sta- tions, convenient locations, everything newest and finest in the way of modern equipment. And the men have all been schooled to give you the kind of expert, helpful service that makes a world of difference to you and your car. Get acquainted with Gulf. Stations' displaying the Orange Disc in Washington afford complete, modern service. And many offer “extras” that can't be had elsewhere. Drive in at the Sign of the Orange Disc and dis- eover—it always pays to deal with Gulf! FREE— CHROMIUM CAR INITIALS While they last! Get your initials in beautiful, stainless chromium. Eaay to attach to ear, wallet, etc., and they’re permanent. FREE with @ Gulf lubrication job—at the Sign of the Orange Disc! rs bearing upon !and restaurant industries, and $15 in employes and disinterested | STAR, the laundry and dry-cleaning indus- try. Minors, which by definition of the District law are persons under 18 years of age, are given a lower rate in the mercantile industry only. Building their laws upon a model sponsored by the National Consumers’ League, New York, New Jersey and New Hampshire enacted statutes with- in the past few years that are more inclusive by virtue of setting the age limit of minors at 21 instead of 18, and more specific by virtue of two arbitrary definitions of “an oppressive and unreasonable wage” and “a fair wage.” Oppressive Wage Defined. In the New York law, for instance, the former is defined as “a wage which is both less than the fair and reason- able value of services rendered and less than sufficient to meet the minimum cost of living necessary for health.” Vesting administrative power in a commissioner, the New York law pre- scribes procedure similar to that of the District statute in so_far as setting up a conference group of employers, employes and disinterested persons. Similar provisions are included for exemptions and for hearings. Somewhat different provisions are made, however, in the matter of ulti- mate orders setting forth the minimum | wage rate. The District law specifies that such | order shall become effective in 60 WASHINGTON, | the other laws D, C, days and thst non-compliance after that period shall be unlawful. In the New York law it is provided that a “directory order” should be issued with the wage rate set forth. Such order, however, does not be- come mandatory for nine months, when it may become so if the com- missioner is of the opinion that “the persistent non-observance of such order by one or more employers is a threat to, the maintenance of fair minimum-wage standerds.” In each case, it is specified that there is no right of review from the administrative authority’s findings of fact, but that questions of law may be appealed to the courts. California and Utah with similar statutes neglect the moral obligation of the Washington and District laws and the reasonable return principle of to place. principal emphasis on the minimum wage and maximum hours ‘“demanded by the health and welfare of the women and minors engaged in any occupation.” A et N Wage Continued From First Page.) (« the conference at the White House with Secretary McIntyre. Hazen said FRIDAY, APRIL 9, he advised McIntyre of progress being | made by the Commissioners in study. GULF STEPS OTT IN WASHINGTON FREE Call-and-Deliver 1937. ing the minimum wage law and as- sured him the Commissioners are pro- ceeding along the lines they feel con- Aident will be agreeable to the Presi- dent. McIntyre said he would inform the President on Hazen's report. The Commissioners, Hazen said, are following the suggestion mede by the President in his communication to Vice President Garner and Speaker Bankhead several days ago, in which he advised them of the opinion of the Attorney General to the effect that the minimum wage law of 1918 was still valid and in which he suggested the Commissicners weit until about May 1 before attempting to enforce this law. Board to Be Named. Should no new law be enacted or the present law not be amended by then, Hazen said, the Commissioners will appoint & board to administer the old law. Meanwhile, they will ask Congress for an appropriation of $5,000 to pay for the cost of admin- istration, he said, pointing out this is the amount stipulated in the original law. Hazen agreed this figure was rather small, particularly when it is consid- ered the law stipulated that $2,500 of the $5,000 shall go for the salary of a secretary and executive officer of the enforcing board. The remainder would —_— | be for clerical hire and administra- | tionexpenses. | | The Commissioners' interest in making provision for men under a minimum wage law was inspired by | the President’s statement at & press conference in which he said he be- leved the law should be made to in- clude men, as well as women and | children. Corporation Counsel Seal has ob- tained copies of minimum wage laws of various States to aid in framing a bill for an entirely new law to meet modern conditions, or in writing nec- essary amendments to bring the old law up to date. He is strongly of the opinion the question of constitution- ality might be brought up if a separate minimum wage law is not written for men. Blossoms 2 (Continued From First Page.) p.m., followed by the coronation cere- | monies, dancing by the Evelyn Davis | group and fireworks. ‘Ten-year-old Sakiko Saito, daughter of the Japanese Ambassador, was not disheartened by the rain’s intrusion on her prospective reign. She will | be crowned festival queen tonight by Commissioner Melvin C. Hazen. ! Queen Sakiko and her attendants Nary a Fingerprint! her sister, Masako, 8, and Barbara Caldwell, 10, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Lewis G. Caldwell—were attend- ing a garden party at Wardman Park | Hotel in the afternoon yesterday and were forced indoors by the rain. Dance Beneath Trees. Children’s Dence Festival scneduled for 4 p.m. today was to be staged beneath the blossoms at the Tidal Basin by approximately 400 rildren of the third, fourth and fifth rades of Wheatley Schocl. Hotels and the Washington Tourisg Camp reported they were filled prac- tically to capacity by the influx of visitors Queen Sakiko will be crowned on her float at the northeast end of the basin. Floodlights will be turned on the blooms, said by park officials to be about 50 per cent out Full bloom of the trees is expected by the week end, providing there is no additional cold weather Dr. Potter to Lecture, Dr. F. C. Potter, associate geologist of the Naturalist Division of the Na= tional Park Service, will lecture on Eastern national parks before the Mount, Pleasant Citizen’s Association tomorrow at 8:30 pm. at Mas Washingto m a % Beautiful as the city it serves—a typical Gulf station recently built in Washington. Change to Gulfpride = the World’s Finest Motor Oil 100% Pure Pennsylvania—super- refined by Gulf’s exclusive Alchlor process—a second refining process that goes far beyond ordinary refin- ing. Now is the time to drain worn, winter oil and change to summer Gulfpride! 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