President Signs Lumber Code

The Lumber Code under the National Recovery Act, 'which covers forty-eight divisions of the lumber and timber products industries, was signed by President Roosevelt on August 19.It became effective as to wages and hours on Tuesday, August 22. The remaining provisions, except Trade Practice Rules, will become effective on August 29. The Trade Practice Rules, which are subject to further revision, will become effective not later than November l.

The Code establishes several precedents such as the regulation of lumber production through the allotment of production quotas to balance lumber consumption, and the determination of minimum prices. Provisions in the Code are also made for the forest conservation and sustained production of forest resour'ces, provisions which the President personally supervised.

The maximum hour week has been established at 40hours. Minimum wages range from 23 and 24 cents an hour in the South to.42l cents in the lumber districts of the Northwest and 50 cents in the metropolitan section of the North and East.

The first meeting of the National Control Committee, the executive body of the newly constituted Lumber Code Authority, was held on August 21 at Washington. Dudley Cates, deputy NRA Administrator, was present as the Administrators' representative, in accordance rvith the provision which stipulates that the Administration shall be represented on the Authority and on the Control Committee.

John D. Tennant, Longview, Wash., was elected chairman and C. C. Sheppard, Clarks, La., vice chairman. C. Arthur Bruce was elected executive officer of the Committee, a position which corresponds to that of president of a corporation. Carl Bahr, Washington, D. C., qas chosen secretary-treasurer. Conforming with the provision of the Code which requires that the schedule of wages and hours shall become effective August 22, telegraph instructions were sent to all the forty-eight Divisions of the industry to make the necessary arrangements at once. Action was also taken to have all the Divisions curtail production in accordance with the prospective consumption.

"shortening of the work hours in the lumber industries", Mr. Bruce said, "means many more workers the number being estimated at between 75,000 and 150,00O men. The wages of all employees will show a marked in'crease, thus the industry will shortly make effective those objectives that President Roosevelt considers of prime importance in the partnership between government and business.

"The lumber industry entertains a genuine belief that in the administration of its affairs under the Code there will be substantial benefits to it and equally to the public. In other words, we feel that we can govern ourselves for the President's objectives in conformity and letter of the NRA. We intend to do so."

Code Of Fair Competition

Article l. Sets forth the purposes of the Code: to reduce and relieve unemployment in the lumber and timber products industries, to improve the standards of labor therein; to maintain a reasonable balanie between the production and consumption of lumber and timber products; to restore the prices to levels which will avoid further depletion and destruction of capital assets; and to conserve forest resources and bring about the sustained production thereof.

Article 2-(a) "Lumber and Timber products" as used in the Code is defined to include (l) logs, poles and piling; (2) sawn lumber and planing mill products operated in conjunction with sawmills; (3) shingles; (4) woodwork (millwork) including products of planing mills operated in conjunction with retail lumber yards; (5) hardwood flooring; (6) veneers; (7) plywood; (8) kiln dried hard' wood dimension; (9) lath; (10) sawed boxes, shook and crates; (ll) plywood, veneer and wirebound packages and containers.

(b) "Person" as used therein includes, without limitation, any individual, firm, partnership, corporation, association, trust, trustee or receiver subject to the jurisdiction of the Code.

(c) "Divisions" and "Subdivisions" as used refer to the several administrative units of the lumber and timber products industries which are established and defined in Schedule "A". Divisions and subdivisions initially established are as follows: Cypress Division; H'ardwood Division-Appalachian and Southern Hardwood Subdivision, Mahogany SuMivision; Philippine Mahogany Subdivision, Walnut Subdivision, Northern Hardwood Subdivision, North Central Hardwood Subdivisibn. Northeastern Hardwood Subdivision; Northern Hemtock Division; Northern Pine Division; .Redwood Division; Northeastern Softwood Division: Southern Division and Southern Rotary Cut Lumber Subdivision; West Coast Logging and lumber Division, Douglas Fir Plywood Subdivision and Douglas Fir Door Subdivision; Western Pine Division; Woodwork Division, Stock Manufacturers Subdivision, Wholesale Distributors Subdivision and Special Woodwork Subdivision; Wooden Package Division, Sawed Bbx, Shook, Crate and Tray Subdivision, Plywood Package Sui.division, Standard Container Subdivision, Pacific Veneer Package Subdivision, Egg Case Subdivision, Wirebound Package Subdivision, Veneer Fruitlnd Vegetable Package Subdivision; Red Cedar Shingle Division and Stained Shingle Subdivision; Oak Flooring Division; Veneer Division; Maple Flooring Division; and Hardwood Dimension Division.

Article 3. (a) The "Lumber Code Authority", which is referred to as the Authority will administer the Code in conformity with the provisions of the National Industrial Recovery Act under the authority of the President.

(b) The-Authority shall issue and enforce such rules, regulations and interpretations as may be necessary to effectuate the purposes and enforce the provisions of the Code.

(c) The Authority is authorized and instructed' with respect _to the Rules of Fair Tiade Practice set forth in Schedule B, to devise and apply further requirements or prohibitions. Such requirem.ents or prohibitions, when adopted by the Authority, s_hall !e submitted to the President for approval, and if approved by him will then be deemed to be supplements to and amendments of the Code.

(d) The Authority may establish Divisions.and Subdivisions and shall appropriate agencies for the administration of the Code in each Division and Subdivision.

(e) The governing body of the agency of each designated Division or Subdivision shall be fairly representative of each group, irrcluding any substantial minority group wthin the Division or Subdivision.

(f) The Authority shall coordinate the administration of the Code with such codes, if any, as may affect any division or subdivision of the lumber and timber products industries or any related industry, with a view of promoting joint and harmonious action upon matters of common interest.

(e) The Authority shall admit or cause to be admitted to participati,on in any Division or Subdivison to whch he belongs, any person on termi of equality with all other persons participating therein.

Article 4. In order that the President may be informed of the extent of observance of the provisions of the Code, the Authority shal[ make such reports as the Administrator may require, periodically, or as often as he may direct. Each person subject to the juiisdiction of the Code and accepting benefits of the activities of ihe Authority shall pay to the Authority his proportionate share of the amounts necessary to pay the cost of such reports and data.

Labo,r Provisions

Art. V. (a) Employees shall have the right to organize and bargain collectively through representatives of their own choosing, and shall.be free from the interference. restraint, or coercion of employers of labor, or their agents, in the designation of such repreieniatives or in setf-organization or in other concerted activities for the purpose of collective bargaining or other mutual aid or protection.

(b) No employee and no one seeking employment shall be required as a condition of employment to join any company union or to refrain from joining, organizing or assisting a tabor organization of his own choosing.

(c) Employers shall comply with the maximum hours of labor, minimum rates of pay, and other conditions of employrnent, approved or prescribed by the President.

(d) No individual'under 18 years of age shall be employed, except that boys 16 years and over may be employed in the Wooden Package Division and in non-hazardous occupations during school vacations or if there are no wage earners of 18 years or over in their families

Ho'rs of Labor

Art. VI. (a) General Provisions and Exceptions:

(l) No employee shalt be permitted to work for two or more employers for a longer period in any week than specified herein for a single employer.'

(2) Exceptions to the standards in respect to maximum h6urs of labor specified herein are authorized as follows:

A. Executive, supervisory, traveling sales force and camp cooks.

B. Regular employment in excess of such standards, for employees such as watchman, firemen and repair crews, where required by the nature of their work, for not more than l0 per cent of the employees in any operation, but time and a half shall be paid for weekly overtime.

Temporary employment in case of emergency.

Seasonal Operations:

Seasonal operations are defined as those which on account of elevation or othbr physical conditions or dependence upon climatic factors a-re ordinarily limited to a period of ten months or less of the calendar year.

The administrative agency of a Division or Subdivision may authorize employment in a seasonal operation for a maximum number of hours not exceeding 48 hours in any week, with the exception of parts of an operation ditions, .such as stream drivins stream tion depending on climatic conqC and sled hauling, in which a greater excess may be authorized; provided, that the average employment in any seasonal operation in any calendar year shall not exceed the standard schedule.

E. Manufacturers of wooden packages for perishable fruits and vegetables may be authorized by the Administrative Agency of the Wooden Package Division to depart from the standard schedule of maximum hours applicable to said manufacturers for a period not to exceed four weeks for any one crop, when necessary to furnish packages for any perishable crop; provided that the average employment of any individual in any calendar year shall not exceed the standard schedule.

(b) Subject to the foregoing exceptions, the maximum hours of employment in the respective Divisions and Subdivisions shall be 40 hours per week.

Minirmrun Wages

'Art. VII, (a) General Provisions: c) No minimum rate of wages for any Division or Subdivision shall be less than that proposed for such Division or Subdivision bv the applicant industries in the Code filed July 10, 1933.

(1) The minimum compensation for workers employed on piece work or contract basis shall not be less than the minimum wages hereunder for the number of hours employed.

(2) The existing amounts by which minimum wages in the higher paid classes, up to workers re,ceiving $30.00 per week exceed minimum wages in the lowest paid classes, shall be maintained.

(3) Charges to employees for rent, board, medical attendance and other services shall be fair.

(d) Minimum rates of wages so determined in the respective Divisions and Subdivisions shall be as follows:

Zone I

Zone 2

Zone 3

Division B-Wholesale Distributors Subdivision.

Zone I

Zone 2-Metro. N. Y. City and Chicago

East of Ohio, except N. Y. City

Other territory

Zone 3

Division C-Special Woodwork Subdivision

Zone I

Zone Z-Metro. N. Y. City and Chicago

East of Ohio, except N. Y. City

Other territory

*The Zones and territory under Woodwork are defined as follows:

ZONE No. 1 includes the states of Florida, Georgia, South Carolina,.North Carolina, V-ilginiE Alabama, Tennessee, Mississippi, Louisiana, Arkansas, New Mexico, Arizona, anci Texas -(ij states ).

ZONE NO. 2 includes the states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York. New. l-ersey, Delaware, District of Columbia, Maryland, Wesi !irginia,__Pennsylvan'1, Ohio, Kentucky, Indiana, Michigan, Illinois, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, lVfissouri. Kansas. Ollahoma, Nebraska, South Dakota and North Dakota (26 states and District of Columbia).

ZONE NO. 3 includes the states of Oregon, Washington, Califor- nia, Nevada, Idaho, Utah, Colorado, Wyoming and Montana, but-elc€pting western Oregon and Washington, which are included in the code of the West Coast Lumbermen's Association (9 states).

Wooden Package

A. Sawed box, shook, crate and trav subdivision: Inland Empire group: (Montana, Idaho, Eastern Oregon, Eastern and Central Washington) 40.

Pacific Wooden Box group: (California, Oregon, Utah, Nevada, New Arizona and Colorado)

Zone 3 Mexico, Colorado

California, Oregon, Utah, Nevada and

(North of 38 degrees North Latitude) . 40. Neiv Mexico, Arizona & Colorado (South of 38 de_ .gree! North Latitude) 23. (provisionalT

Pacific Northwest Wooden Box grouo: (Western Washington and Westein Oregon ind Alaska) ....... 40.

Pacific Veneer Container Subdivision: (California, Oregon, Washington) ., 40.

In the Wooden Package Division minimum wage rates below those shown in the schedule shall be permitted in tfie case of boys and girls less than 20 years of age, provided that not more thin 20 per cent.of the total n9rybe1 of employees of any one plant shall be so classified an'd provided further that the difiirentiaf shall not exceed three cents if the rate after subtracting the difierential is 27 cents or less, but in no case shall the differeitial exceed 5 cents.

Control of Production

Art. VIII. (a) To efiectuate the declared purposes of this Code in respect of maintaining a reasonable balance bitween the produc- tion and _the consump.tion of lumber and timber products and to assur-e adequate supplies thereof, the Authority lhall determine, and from time to time revise, not less frequentiy than each three months, estimates of e_xpected consumption, inciuding exports, of lumber.and timbe.r products of each Division and Suddivision; and based thereon it is empowered to establish, and from time to time revise, production quotas for any Division or Subdivision of the lumber and timber products industries. Allotments within each Division and Subdivision, for -the.persons.therein, shall be made, subject to the supervision of the Authoritv. bv th6 agencies desisl nated by it. Said quotas as between such Divisioni or Subdiv'isions shall be in proportion to the shipments of the products of each durtng. a representattve -recent past period to be determined by the Authority; b3-t the A_uthority may modity said proportions if warranted.b_y evid_ence.- fn case of Divisions- or Subdivisions, the raw material of which is im-ported, the quotas and allotments may be .in terms of imports, so far as t*V b" consistent wittr ttri oro- visions of Section 7 (a\ of the Nationat Industrial Recoverv Ait.

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