THE MICHIGAN DAILY TUESDA MICHIGAN DAILY Fair Labor Standards Act Ushers In A New Period Of Social Legislation "1""""" "TH "s5 VM w R U qNA ,-.. Edited and managed by students of the University of [idhigan under the authority of the Board in Control of 'udent Publications. Published every morning except Monday during the niversity year and Summer Session. Member of the Associated Press The Associated Press is exclusively entitled to the se for republication of all news dispatches credited to or not otherwise credited in this newspaper. All ghts of republication of all other matters herein also served. Entered at the Post Office at Ann Arbor, Michigan, as cond class mail matter. Subscriptions during regular school year by carrier, LOO; by mail, $4.50. REPRESENTED POR NATIONAL. ADVERi.SING BY National Advertising Service, Inc. College Publishers-Representative 420 MADISON AVE. NEW YORK, N. Y. CHICAG O 'BosTon LOS ANGELES - SAN FRANCISCO fember, Associated Collegiate Press, 1939-40 I Petersen ott Maraniss n M. Swinton ton L. Linder. man A. Schorr fnis Flanagan m N. Canavan bVicary Fineberg .: Editorial Staff ..:.. _. . Managing Editor Editorial Director . City Editor Associate Editor Associate Editor Associate Editor SAssociate Editor *Women's Editor * Sports Editor Business Staff Winess llManager . . . Paul R. Park st. Business Mgr., Credit Manager Ganson P. Taggart Vtol ii's Business Manager . Zenovia Skoratka~ tomen's Advertising Manager . . Jane Mowers ublications Manager . . . Harriet S. Levy NIGHT EDITOR: PAUL M. CHANDLER_ The editorials published in The Michigan Daily are written by members of The Daily staff and represent the views of the writers only. 'ational Egotism: ['he Path To War . .. THE UNITED STATES has looked at this war from the first with a pessi- aistic attitude. "By all means," the citizen ells his Congressman, "do everything you can , keep us out of it; fight out a .neutrality bill; eep tab on the President: go through all the aotions-of safeguarding peace. But you realize, f course, that it won't do much good. We're ertain to be drawn in sooner or later." These Cassandras have a lot on their side. 'hey point out that this will probably not be short war, that it will drag on and on with incident" after "incident" to push our blood- ressure up another notch. They note how we iready abhor Hitler and root for the "Allies," nd reminisce how it took us three years last time efore we began hankering to call sauerkraut Liberty cabbage," to hate the "Huns," to "make he world safe for Democracy." We don't want war, but we are seeing the eoples of other nations thrust into a war they o not want. Every step we try to make towards eace drags with the sense that we are fighting losing battle. To the pessimists, diplomacy like the life-rope binding mountain climbers bgether: when an individual falls, the rest either ull him up again or they all go tumbling down. Why we should accept this fatalism is hard to se. During the first World War Switzerland rid Holland, within sound of the firing, were yet ble to stay clear, while America, half a world way, came bounding in. The answer is that witzerland and Holland were small and anemic; e were big and rich. No one cared much hether the weak nations entered or not; they ad little weight to add to the scales. But we uld swing the scales to either side we favored. 0 capture our support was as final an act as eckmating the king in chess. Yet with all the diplomatic pulling and push- g, it was the United States that had to decide. igland and France, for all their propaganda, d not draw us into the war. We went in of our rn accord, of our own cocksureness that we Muld end it once and for all, that we could spread ross Europe the benefits of our democracy. If we enter this present war, we will follow e same path that we took in 1918. We are nscious of. our power, of our riches and re- urces. We know that if any force can stop .tler and protect the last vestiges of democracy Europe, it will be our manpower and our oney. The only thing that will lead us into is war will be our national egotism. -Hervie Haufler 'he Ruthven Dinner Lnd Cooperation .. A S THE TIME approaches for the banquet celebration honoring Presi- at Ruthven at the beginning of his 10th year head of the University, it is interesting to te the whole-hearted enthusiasm with which groups are cooperating to make this event a 3cess. Students, alumni, faculty and townspeople all ve a hand in the tremendous organizational oblems raised by plans of such wide scope. T~vfrh 0 nrnnur Ann A 'rn.nnr nur 4o iswn- By NORMAN A. SOHORR Today, the first birthday of the Fair Labor Standards Act, marks a significant milestone in the long, bitter struggle to give the American workingman a chance at a decent living. As the act enters its second year of operation today, it is estimated that according to the new wages and hours scale, 250,000 workers will receive pay in- creases and 400,000 will work fewer hours per week. This measure which, in the words of President Roosevelt, was designed "to protect the funda- mental interests of free labor and a free people," emerges from a maze of contradictory court decisions centering mainly about the interpre- tation of the due process clause of the Fourteenth Amendment of the Constitution and Congress' delegated power to regulate interstate com- merce. The wages and hours bill has not as yet been reviewed by the Supreme Court, for in fact there are at present three cases pending which contest its constitutionality and may bring it before the High Bench during its present term. The Montgomery Ward Co. is fighting its validity in the Chicago Federal District Court, and two Florida companies have filed objections to the act in the Federal Court at Jacksonville. However, an adverse decision is deemed rather unlikely at this time; first, because the measure was framed with extreme care to avoid the ob- jections levelled at the wage-and-hour fixing provisions of the NRA which were largely re- sponsible for its being ruled void; and second, because a majority of the members of the Supreme Court today are known to interpret the Constitution broadly and to view it as an instrument .for progress, which should serve as a basis for promoting the social welfare of the people. Instrument Of Progress This belief, was ably expressed by the Presi- dent in his address to Congress of January 6, 1937: "During the past year there has been a growing belief that there is little fault to be' found with the Constitution of the United States as it stands today. The vital need is not an alteration of our fundamental law, but an increasingly enlightened. view with reference to it. Difficulties have grown out of its interpretation; but rightly considered it can be used as an instrument of progress and as a device for the prevention of action." Arguments for fixing wages have 'been: to protect the worker from pressure of competition or from monopolistic combination that tend to depress wages, to check the downward nose dives of wages with an accompanying demoralization of market prices, a proportionate increase in fixed charges, and to increase the effective pur chasing power, thereby increasing the demand for mass production of goods and services. Freedom Of What? But as we have seen, the achievement of wage and hour legislation has been very slow in com- ing. Its early advocates faced an almost insur- mountable idealogical obstacle-for they lived in the era when America was young and grow- ing fast: a nation that preached laissez-faire and free competition, when these principles were no longer able to cope with the problems that had newly arisen out of the Industrial Revolution. But in more cases than not, the only kind of liberty that opponents of labor legislation could see was "the privilege of the manufacturer to exploit his worpeople," as Jethro Brown put it. And so the need for social reform was impera- tive. As expressed by Mary Calcutt, in her Social Legislation, "Some form of equality of opportunity between the exploited laborer and the more favored classes had to be found to bridge the growing chasm. In cases there might be a humane employer who eased the burden of his workers. But the evils of poverty, sickness, excessive hours and low wages, were too compli- cated for private benevolence to deal with. Obviously the responsibility must belong to $ more dependable authority." 10-Hour Day Upheld Agitation for a shorter work day in modern times goes back to the 1860's when a Workmen's Eight-Hour League proposed such a law in Utica, New York, and the State of California attempted vainly to pass a general eight-hour day law. Many other states during this period passed hour legislation, some of which were upheld while others were tossed by court decisions. However, after the Holden v. Hardy decision in 1898, in which a 10-hour day for , mine and smelting workers was upheld, it was generally believed that legislation which limited work hours on it- basis of health risks of a specific occupation would be held constitutional. However, this was not the case. From here on the Court's record grows more and more confusing. In the case of Muller v. Oregon in 1908, the court, impressed by the mass of statistical evidence produced by a young at- torney. Louis D. Brandeis, showing the ill-effects of long working hours on women's "physical structure and proper discharge of her maternal functions," upheld by a 5-4 vote an Oregon law zenberg and Brandt are among those participat- ing. T. Hawley Tapping, general secretary of the Alumni Association, is organizing the vast "alum- ni university" for attendance in large numbers. Graduates from coast to coast, and even from beyond the seas have signified their intention of attending. Students are being organized for participation by a committee headed by Dorothy Shipmarl, Don Treadwell and Carl Petersen. Over 1,000 students will participate in a pageant showin e which limited hours of labor for women in fac- tories and laundries to 10 hours a day and 60 hours a week. Another Oregon law setting a ten-hour work day for all in factories and mills was upheld by the Supreme Court in 1917. How- ever, in 1923, the Court held a wage law for wo- men -in Washington Hospitals to be unconstitu- tional on the grounds that it was a violation of that old bugaboo of social reformers-the due process clause. The court expressed also the fear that workers might get more than their share of productivity. NRA Gets The Hook Later on, the NRA and the Guffey Coal Act, each containing wage and hour provisions were declared unconstitutional, this time on the grounds that legislative power had been delegat- ed to the executive branch of the government, violating the separation of powers theory. Also it was held that these were not justifiable exer- cises of the commerce power. And so the stage was set for the Fair Labor Standards Act. First introduced as the Black- Connery Act, it received the immediate united support of labor groups. Passed in June 1938, and taking effect in October, it fixed minimum wages of 25 cents an hour for the first year; 30 cents an hour for the six years from Oct. 24, 1939, to Oct. 24, 1945, and thereafter 40 cents an hour. The work-week was cut to 44 hours for the first year; 42 hours from Oct. 24, 1939 to Oct. 24, 1940, and thereafter forty hours. And where a longer work week is required of em- ployees, it is provided that they shall be com- pensated at not less than one and one-half their regular rate of pay. Coming under the provisions of the act are all workers in industries engaged in producing, manufacturing, mining, handling, transporting or in any manner working on goods moving in interstate commerce, or in any process or occu- pation necessary to the production of such goods, or employees engaged in interstate transporta- tion, transmission or communication. Exempt are seamen, fishermen, farm workers, executives and "persons employed in the area of production to handle or prepare or can agricultural or horti- cultural commodities for market or to make dairy products. Special Industry Committees In realization that some industries might be able to pay wages higher than the minimum, special industry committees have been set a.. Under this system it is estimated that some 500,- 000 workers, chiefly in the textile and apparel in- dustries will soon receive hourly wages higher than the statutory minimum. And so here we have the second attempt of the Roosevelt administration to put a "ceiling on hours and a floor under wages." As Elmer An- drews, former administrator of the act pointed out, "It is not a panacea. It provides for a mini- mum which can hardly be considered a standard of comfort, and it applies only to employees en- gaged in interstate commerce or in the produc- tion of goods for interstate commerce. Neverthe- less, with the cooperation of a sociliy-awakened public, a progressive labor movement and an in- telligent industry, it will be a long step in the right direction." The Wages and Hours Divi- sion of the Labor Department reports' that pro- duction levels have been maintained in most responsible industries and labor turnover has been diminished. What is most significant is the fact that this act sounds the call for a new era of social legislation: unimpeded by unnec- essarily imposed constitutional limitations and directed by a group of men devoted to the pro- motion of the common good. By RICHARD BFNNETT Sergei Rachmaninoff The 1939-40 Choral Union Concert Series opens this evening with the distinguished com- poser-pianist-conductor, Sergei Rachmaninoff, in an interpretation of the Bach E Major French Suite, the colossal Sonata op. 111 of Beethoven, and sundry works of the Romantic period. It was exactly twenty-two years ago, shortly after Christmas eve, Rachmaninoff, with his family, crossed the order of Russia into Finland, leaving behind the shots and smoke that were "the beginning of the end" of a world he had known for over forty years. Whatever there was for him of peace and security was swept away, proably forever. Yet there was one compensa- tion, one glorious recompense the memory of a time replete with the speech and traditions and friends that he understood and loved. He knew this age and culture, and he expressed it in the symphonies, the chamber music, the choral works, and the songs that flowed from his pen. Perhaps he did not analyze it too closely, nor understand its direction at the time, but all the sorrows and frustrations of it he loved. Rachmaninoff is now in his sixty-sixth year. He comes offering us once more an expression of, the profound sobriety born of years of loneliness and disillusionment in a world of ceaseless mu- tation. No one can afford to miss the message he has for our time; for, in a sense, he is the voice of history pointing its binoculars out of a tragic past and decreeing the need for clarity and severe reflection. This message he projects in the double role of composer and performer. In his compositions, both those written before the war and since, he records the hopelessness, the fatalistic outlook, and the general immobility of a society subject G ULLIVER'S CAVILS By Young Qulliver AN innocent little package was de- livered to The Daily the other day. It came from the United States Government, and inside was a little folder entitled Facts Regarding En- listment In The United States Army, It strikes Gulliver that the Army is being a little naive when it ex- pects to sign up newspapermen in the army (in time of war, being a foreign correspondent is even better than being a conscientious objector: you get the thrills and you don't get hurt), but who is Gulliver to tell the biggies what to do? The pamphlet has a lot of interest- ing material in it. For example, Gul- liver found out that "Nowhere in the world can a man get better physical training than in the Army." The training of course includes deep bend- ing.(otherwise known as ducking bullets) and cross country work~ (otherwise known as running like al hell). But this isn't all that comes under the head of Physical Training Some medical men "go so far as to say that . . . one enlistment in the Army may add from three to five years to the life of the average young man.' Of course, this all depends on your point of view; Gulliver would just as soon do without the extra three years. And Gulliver, who was brought up on Richard Halliburton, especially liked this one: "If you have a yearn- ing for globe-trotting, the Army is a solution to your problem." Some of the spots mentioned are the Panama Canal Zone, Hawaii, the Philippines and Alaska. France isn't listed, but it looks as though some of the boys are working hard to arrange that. UThe payoff is this item: The soldier's duties ar# varied and include specialized workv(get it?) and drills which are interesting and calculated to habituate him to in- stant obedience to command." Thi last clause may explain why the Army thinks its men will be "better and stronger citizens when returned to civil life." All seniors who will be unable to get on WPA next June can report to the U.S. Army Recruiting Station Room 631 Federal Building, Detroit Knock three times and say, "Gulive sent me." * * * ULLIVER spent a hectic weekend .in Chicago. He is rather proud of the fact that he was not. one of the 5,000 sadists who watched the Ann Arbor boys steamroll the Aris- totle A.C. of Bob Hutchins. As a matter of fact, he spent Saturday afternoon quietly strolling through Chicago's peachy Art Institute. The town was certainly lousy with Michigan boys. The lobby of Winde- mere looked like the Michigan Union on homecoming day. One urchin sidled up to Gulliver and said, "Are you on the team? Can I have your autograph?" Gulliver sternly fought down the temptation to say yes and scrawl a big TOM HARMON on the kid's pad. Down at Hanley's (which is a little like Flautz's) after the game, Gulli- ver ran into Pete Lisagor, who used to be sports editor of The Daily, and Mike (falstaff) Scammon, who took his M.A. here. Mike runs the Uni- versity of Chicago Roundtable pro- gram now, and on Sunday he took some of the boys to the studio to see the broadcast. Joe Mattes and Irv Silverman, both ex-Daily boys, are working in papers in Chicago too, as is Earle Luby. Luby used to play football here, and on the side he used to write a column for The Daily. He is as big and as good-hearted as ever . All in all, Gulliver had a swell Saturday, and. if the Army really wants him badly enough, he'd just as soon be stationed in Chicago AS OTHERS SEE IT. To the Editor: In an editorial in Tuesday's Daily attention was called to the impor- tance of an orientation program for incoming freshmen that would be more complete than our present ori- entation week. In all fairness to the university it must be said that this obligation has been by no means completely overlooked. Since its in- ception the Student Religious Asso- ciation has sponsored a program in- tended to facilitate the orientation of newcomers to the campus. Although this program is not as complete as that suggested by The Daily editorial, because of lack of interest in a more complete program, it has nevertheless, through the medi- um of the Freshman Rendezvous, the, Freshman Night Round Table, and various lectures and forums, made an intensive effort in this direction. A brief examination of the topics dis- cussed at the Round Table, for ex- ample, will show that the student has (Continued from Page 2) to those mentioned above. The Uni- versity itself, however, will contribute to the expense of such purchase of rannuities only as indicated in sections 2, 3 and 4 above. 6. Any person. in the employ of the University, either asha faculty mem- ber or otherwise, unless debarred by his medical examination may, at his own expense, purchase life insurance from the Teachers Insurance and An- nuity Association at its rate. All life insurance premiums are borne by the individual himself. The University makes no contribution toward life insurance and has nothing to do with the life insurance feature except that it will if desired by the insured, de- duct premiums monthly and remit the same to the association. 7. The University accounting of- lces will as a matter of accommoda- Lion to members of the faculties or .employes of the University, who de- ' Sire to pay either annuity premiums r insurance premiums monthly, de- duct such premiums from the pay- ol. in monthly installments. In the ase of the so-called "academic roll" ehe premium payments for the months of July, August, September, and October will be deducted from the double payroll of June 30. While the accounting offices do not solicit his work, still it will be cheerfully issumed where desired. 8. The University has no ar- angements with any insurance or- ganization except the Teachers In- surance and Annuity Association of f kmerica and contributions will not ,e made by the University nor can :remium payments be deducted ex- ept in the case of annuity or insur- nce policies of this association. 9. The general administration of he annuity and insurance business *as been placed in the hands of Sec- etary of the University by the Re- gents.. Please communicate with the un- dersigned if you have not complied with the specific requirements as stated in (3) above. --. Herbert G. Watkins, Ass't Secy. College of Literaturo, Science and the Arts, School of Music, and School of Education: Students who received marks of I or X at the close of their last term of attendance (vix., semes- ter of summer session) will receive a grade of E in the course unless this work is made up by October 25. Stu- dents wishing an extension. of time beyond this date in order to make up this work should file a'petition ad- dressed to the appropriate official in their school with Room 4 U.H. where it will be transmitted. Robert L. Williams, Assistant Registrar. Facl ty of the College of Litera- ture, Science, and the Arts: The five- 1 week freshman reports will be due Saturday, Oct. 28, in the Academic Counselors' Office, 108 Mason Hall. Arthur. Van Duren, chairman. Candidates for the Teacher's Cer- tificate for February and June 1940 who have not filed an application in the office of the School of Education, 1437 U.E.S., should do so at once. (This notice does not.include School of Music students). Phillips Scholarships: Freshman students who presented four units of Latin, with or without Greek, for ad- mission to the University, and who are continuing the study of either language, may compete for the Phil- lips Classical Scholarships. Awards will be based on the rseults of an ex- amination covering the preparatory work in Latin or in both Latin and Greek, as described in the bulletin on scholarships, which may be obtained in Room 1, University Hall. The ex- amination will be held this year in Room 20144 Angell Hall this af- ternoon at - 4:00 p.m. Interested students may leave their names with Professor W. E. Blake (2024 A. H.) or Professor J. E. Dunlap (2028 A.H.). Choral Union Members: Members of the University Choral Union in good standing, may secure their tick- ets admitting them to the Rachmani- noff concert by chaling in person at the office of the School of Music, today, between the hours of 9 and 12 and 1 and 4. After 4 o'clock no tick- ets will be given out., Sigma XI: Members from other chapters who have recently affiliated with the University are cordially re- quested to notify the Secretary, at Room 104 West Engineering Building or phone Ext. 748, giving status, year of election, and Chapter where in- itiated. F. L. Everett. A cademic Notices Political Science 52: Make-up ex- amination for the second semester, 1938-39, will be held today at 2 p.m. in Room 2033, Angell Hall. Concerts DAILY OFFICIAL BULLETIN stead of presenting the entire ticket. Those leaving the Auditorium at in- termission or at other 'times. are re- quired to present a door check to be re-admitted. Traffic regulations will be enforced by the Ann Arbor Police Department. The sympathetic cooperation of concert-goers in all of these matter will be greatly appreciated, to the end that corfusion may be avoided. Exhibitions Exhibition by Ann Arbor artists, under the auspices of the Ann Arbor Art Association. Alumni Memorial Hall, open until October 26 Lectures University Lecture: Dr. Maximo M. Kalaw, member of the Philippine Na- tional Assembly, will lecture on "American-Phillippine Relations and the Present Crisis" in the National Science Auditorium on Thursday, Oct. 26, at 4:15 p.m. Lecture: The Reverend Henry . Yoder will give the third lecture in the series on "I Believe" which is sponsored by the Student Religious Association. The lecture will be held in the Rackham Amphitheatre Wed- nesday, Oct. 25 at 8 p.m. Today's Evnts I Mathematics Short Course on the "Theory of Representation" to be given by Dr. Nesbitt, will have its first meeting this afternoon, at 3 o'clock in Room 3201 A.H. Ar- rangements of hours for future meet- ings will be made at this time. The course will meet three times a week for five weeks. Ma4. 370, Seminar in Continued l ractions. Will meet today at 4 o'clock i 3201 A. H. Mr. Kazarinoff will speak on "Geometric and Num- ber Theoretical Applications of C. F." League House Girls who are in- terested in participating in the Ruth- ven Dinner will meet today at 3 p.m. in the lobby of the League. It is very important. Ann Arbor Inependents: There will be an- important meeting this ahtrhoon at 4:30 in the League. All unaffiliated girls living in private homes are welcomed. Sigma Rho Tau will hold its regular meeting tonight in the Union at 7:30. -Please bring your dues. International Center: 1. The American 'Social Customs Class meets this evening at 7 o'clock in the Ethel Fountain Hussey Room for after-dinner coffee preceding the Choral Union Concert. Members of the class will please note the change of place. 2. Tickets for the Afternoon of American Folk Dancing to be held in thet Ballroomi of the Union, Tuesday, Oct. 31, are available in the office of the Center for foreign students and their friends today and through I'hursday. After Thursday the tickets dwill be made available for American students interested. The tickets are comnplimentary. The Michigan Christian Fellowship meets for Bible study this evening from 5 to 6 p.m. in the Upper Room of Lane Hall. Dr. Goris is directing a series of interesting studies in the book of I Corinthians. Ushers for Art Cinema Productions: All those girls who 'took the ushering test in the Lydia Mendelssohn the- atre are asked to see Professor Ken- yon in the League any day this week between 2 and 4 p.m., according to Peggy Cornelius, chairman of ush- erin forArtCinea Prducins. Comng Events Alpha Nu: All boys, whether fresh- men or upperclassmen, who are in- terested in public speaking and de- bating and who would be interested in reviving Alpha Nu, the oldest or- ganization on the campus, :meet Wed- nesday, Oct. 25, 7:30. p.m. on the fourth floor -of Angell Hall in the Alpha Nu room. Tan Beta Pi: Very important meet- ing Wednesday, Oct. 25. Dinner will be served promptly at 5:45 p.m. in the Michigan Union. Please note change of date. University of Michigan Flying Club: There will be a meeting of the Uni- versity of Michigan Flying Club at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 25, in Room 305 of the Michigan Union. Mr. Al .Schramm, chief test pilot of Stinson Aircraft in. Wayne, will talk on the subject, "The Pilot's Part in Aircraft Design." Committees will be appointed to make arrangements for the First Annual Midwest Inter- collegiate Flying Meet to be held here Nov. 18 and 19, and refreshments will be served.