Show SECRETARY PERKINS RAPS TALK j OF EASING WAGE WACE LAW IN CRISIS 1 WASHINGTON Dec 9 P- P Secretary Perkins asserted Monday Monday Mon Mon- day that defense n needs ds at thus thas s time did dud not warrant a breakdown of If wage end and hour legislation Opening a three-day three session of orf the seventh seventh national conference on labor legislation the labor secretary secretary sec sec- said There has been loose talk concerning concerning con con- the hours of work In the fair labor standards and public contracts ts acts as a hindrance to the th the defense program but there is isdo no do valid reason to undermine the Wage vage rage and ho hour r legislation as defense defense defense de de- de needs shape up at this time She made no mention of a retort re- re tort rt Sunday by the navys navy's chief of 01 supplies and accounts Rear AdmIral Admiral Ad Ad- Admiral miral Ray Spear which said that the Walsh-Healey Walsh act continues to be a disturbing factor in the procurement of some lines oi of government government gov gov- emment supplies The navy officer officer of orf- referred particularly to the minimum wage provisions of the act which companies accepting government govea contracts are required to observe The security of a nation said Miss Perkins depends not only onay on its physical defenses but on the well wen being of o-f its people Anything that contributes to greater health and safety of proper working condItions conditions conditions con con- and to more adequate standards of living contributes to national defense It It has been said that one reason reason reason rea rea- son for the collapse of the French republic was the adoption of the hour 40 week The French 40 hour week law was a rigid statute which pr prohibited all overtime beyond beyond beyond be be- yond 40 hours not only for the In Individual Individual individual In- In worker but also for the entire industrial establishment Under Unit United d States labor legIslation legislation legislation legis legIs- lation she added any employer inthe inthe in inthe the land can automatically work his as many hours beyond beyond beyond be be- yond 40 a week as he cares to without asking permission of anybody anybody anybody any any- body so long as he pays the overtime overtime overtime over over- time rate of time and one half The Walsh-Healey Walsh act requires holders rs of government govea contracts of more than to meet wage and hour standards promulgated by the labor d department Witness r qa v S F lip S SECRETARY PERKINS There has been loose talk |