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 The Associated Handbag Industries; of America, Inc. affirms that
it is truly representative of the industry, and coes not impose any in-
equitable restrictions upon membership heroinn.

 The LcnC.ba industry bcin-r. essentially a handicraft one, and
subject to flIctuattng;style t<ndc: cies, has bcun particularly affected
by the economic depression of the last fuw years, and has been peculiarly
subjected to unfair and uneconomic tr;.de, practices, such as price cutting,
dumping of mcrc.Jand.ise, rebates, etc. nhe Association in presenting
this Code for approval, believes that it i..'ill restore the purchasing
power of the employees of the industry and. bring .mploym.-nt up to the
1929 level, and restore the industry to-.ts forrn:r r-.calthy co'-dition.

 For purposes of identification, thr follo-'ing stt..mcnts are num-
bered to correspond with the articles of th. Code.

Article 3,

 The employment of minors under the ag. c-f 16 has never been
prevalent in the handbag industry, but i., ordc.cr to make certain that
this abuse does not cre.p in, the rmpioy,,,.nt of minors under the. age of
16 is prohibited.

Article 4.

 According to our best information, approximately two-thirds of
the industry is located outside. of New York, cnd the minimum wage paid
is $7.00 per we-k. The establishment of a minimum wa-e of Z0 oO r hour
outside of Nev, York represents ant increase: of approximately 42o and in
order to compensate for the difference in livi:- costs in 'Jew York City,
a differential of 20% is provided for.

Article 5.

 The niumber of hours worked per weec: in thu industry ranges
from 44 to 54, and in one or tv/wo instances higher. The average number
of hours work-Cc. per week is approximately 48. The reduction in working
hours to a Iiini.iumr of 40 or an average reduction of 20%, will provide
for an increase in employment sufficient: to provide for the unemployed
workers in the industry.

Article 6.

 In ord-r to identify all pocketbooks and handbags as having
been manufactured under the conditions approved by this code, it is
provided that all handbags and pocketbooks shall bear an MRA label.
The publicity given to all products with an I-RA lable will tend to
increase the sale of such products, which in turn v, ill make it possible
for the industry to pay the "na-ies as con-impIatLtd under this Code, and
to take up the unemployed in the industry.


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