Evening star. [volume], April 09, 1937, Page A-6, Image 6

About Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972

Image provided by: Library of Congress, Washington, DC

                
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 effect, 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
blew York and other States.
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 emphasis on preservation of
health and morals whereas the later
legislation directs itself principally to
establishing a wage minimum com
mensurate with thr. value of services
rendered.
Enacted in 19! 8, 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
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
investigate and ascertain wages of
women and minors, to examine all
records of employers bearing upon
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
is 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 a conference of em
ployers, employes and disinterested
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
so 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
ing its brief life minimum wages of
$15.50 per week for women in the
printing and publishing industry,
$16.50 in the mercantile and hotel
and restaurant industries, and $15 in
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 I
is both less than the fair and reason
able value of services rendered and leas
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
days and that 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 standards."
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
the other laws 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.”
(Continued From First Page.)
the conference at the White House
with Secretary McIntyre. Hazen said
he advised McIntyre of progress being
made by the Commissioners in study
ing the minimum wage law and as
sured him the Commissioners are pro
ceeding along the lines they feel con
fident will be agreeable to the Presi
dent. McIntyre said he would inform
the President on Hazen'a report.
The Commissioners. Hazen said, are
following the suggestion made by the
President in his communication to
Vice President Gamer 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
Commissioners wait 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 a 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
tion expenses.
The Commissioners' interest in
making provision for men under a
minimum wage law was inspired by
the President’s statement at a press
conference in which he said he be
lieved 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- 1
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
• Continued From First Page 1
p.m., followed by the coronation cere- :
monies, dancing by the Evelyn Davis I
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—
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 indoor* by the rain.
Dance Beneath Trees.
The Children's Dance Festival
scneduled for 4 p.m. today was to be
staged beneath the blossoms at the
Tidal Basin by approximately 400
children of the third, fourth and fifth
grades of Wheatley School.
Hotels and the Washington Tourist
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 Martha
Washington Seminary.
Completes program that
gives motorists
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