WORKING HOURS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 19 March 1942, Page 4

WORKING HOURS

EXTENSION IN UNITED STATES PRESIDENT SEES NO NEED FOR LEGISLATION. “THINGS GOING PRETTY WELL NOW.” (By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright) ( Received This Day. 9.25 a.m.) WASHINGTON, March 18. President Roosevelt told a Press conference that there was no need for legislation regarding the fortyhour week issue, since things .were going pretty well now. He said that he favoured the continuance of time and a half pay for work over forty hours, but asked labour to rescind contract rules requiring double time pay for Sunday work. Mr Roosevelt decried “the amazing state of public misinformation,” and said many people apparently believed that the working week was now limited by law to forty hours, but it was net, since many war plants were working many hours more. He observed: “Congress cannot pass a law to make a man turn out for more work —that is up to the man himself.” Mr Roosevelt advocated more parades, bands and flag-waving, in order to stir up enthusiasm for the war effort. The President, earlier in the day, had conferred with the heads of the American Federation of Labour and Congress of Industrial Organisations, who reiterated their pledge banning strikes for the duration of the war. In that connection, Mr Roosevelt remarked that probably there were fewer men on strike in the United States than anywhere else in the world, unless it were in regimented Germany.