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Show PAY LAW HEADS FOR COURT TEST Retailers Are Denied Rehearing Plea Utah's new minimum wsge law will be thrown into the courts for determination of constitutionality, it was disclosed Monday when the state industrial commission refused to grant a rehearing on its order fixing $16 a week as minimum wage for women and minors employed in retail trades. Paul H. Ray, member of counsel coun-sel for nearly 209 retailers who had requested a rehearing, said an appeal would be taken to courts. "We are attacking constitutionality constitution-ality of the minimum wde law and validity of the order issued, under un-der it," Mr. Ray said. Without comment, the commission commis-sion simply announced it nad denied de-nied the petition and would not disclose how its members stood in a formal vote. According to law, the petitioners have 20 days from date of denial in which to appeal to district courts, after which the commission has 20 days in which to answer. A court may uphold the commission commis-sion denial or may order a rehearing. rehear-ing. The petitioners attacked the $16 (Continued on Pas Ten) (Column rival PAY LAW HEADS FOR COURT TEST (CootbiiMd fmt Pas Om) a week minimum and numerous other features of the order, first to be issued by the commission. Among clauses attacked were those fixing a 42 Si-hour work week, prohibiting pro-hibiting part time employment of less than four hours a day, re- quircmcnta for dismissal notice snd vacations. The petition asserted excessive authority is delegated ths commission. commis-sion. William M. Knerr, commission chairman, said he had received a letter from Mr. Ray asking that the name of F. W. Woolworth company com-pany be withdrawn as a petitioner. No reason was given, Mr. Knerr said. Ths withdrawal left only one other Salt Lake City firm in the case st present, the Crystal Palace Drug company, by E. P. McGrew. Order Followed Hearing The order affecting women and minors employed In retail trades followed a public hearing, at which the proposal was attacked bitterly and efforts were made to obtain the old N R A wage scale, providing provid-ing differentials among communities. communi-ties. Thf part time employment provision pro-vision was attacked in particular, on grounds It would deprive students stu-dents of needed employment. OGDEN, Dec. 20 t The Ogden chamber of commerce today asked the state industrial commission to withhold any ruling on minimum wages for women and children in Utah Industrial establishments until ths pending wage-hour bill Is disposed dis-posed of by congress. Then "the Utah state Industrial commission can and should establish estab-lish such minimums and maximums as conform with the national provision,'' pro-vision,'' the chamber's resolution read. |