-35- Pocketbook Union, with whom the New York Manufacturers are in contraction, does not permit them to take on any new help. For the last few years, there has been an over supply of help in this trade, due to the depression. Be- sides that, we are compelled to buy our goods in WJew York, as that is the market -olace. and maintain an office in New York for the sale of goods, as buyers will not go outside of New York to purchase. To maintain a New York office, and ship everything to New York City and East of New York ore-aid to New York, also entails an expense. Coupling this with the average out of town help, which is usually not as skilled as New York, we are at a disadvantage. Besides, ITe- York City has what is kno-m as a Clearing House for workers When they need ten extra framers for a day, they can phone to the local office, and this is done for any other department. Whereas when they take help out of town, nnd lay them off when they don't need them, they thereby stand a chance of losing them, because they usually drift into another trade. It therefore neans that br the time we weed additional hel-o, we have to start training them again. To avoid this, we try to keep them on. If a framer has no work, we give him something else to do, and do likewise in any other department. This is how we manage to keep them, although there is a loss in doing so. For example, this is what happened to our Company: During the latter part of August, and the early part of September, we had a strike, when we brought in some new people, paying them the minimum wage. They have only been in our employ now for about six months. The National Labor Board, who was instrumental in settling the strike, asked us to make all employees back, which we did. Sufficient proof can be furnished that we are not discrimination :, and are dividing the work as evenly as possible between the exper- ienced and inexperienced help. We believe this is what the Government wants. To keep everybody busy instead of a full week to some and nothing to others. From the above facts, you can readily understand that if an $18.00 minimum is put into the Code, we will Drobably be forced to shut down, or else eliminate all inexperienced workers. We know the Government does not have this ouroose in mind, as it would mean so many more people to resort to charity. Therefore, we-protest against the insertion of this clause in the Code, and as mentioned before, we believe that if it should be enforced, we would have to close the plant and move to New York, where it will be possible to do business under the Code, Now what is to haDoen to the people in Philadelhia? Our com-nany is employing about two hundred to two hundred and S 9811