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 Ie have aope.aled to the *,WtA Ad.ninistrctors in *;.shington and
to the Code Authority for the ladies' h.-nidboj. Code, located in Nev York,.
for the privilege of employing learners at less then the minimum vage
the Code carries, but have in every cose been turned down or our pleas
entirely ignored, although the Code that is no'- in effect provides that
the Administrator may, if he sees fit, provide for the employment of
learners at less than the minimum vage for u. short osriod. .

 The Code Authority, being located in 'Te-.- York .ity, composed of a ll
l;e'7 York personnel, it is evident that thzJ consider tne handbag manufaj
during business from a metropolitann, eastern, or :ev. York standpoint or*
and are not inclined to give n-ny consideration to our isolated oositionaji
in the industry; yet :e no.y Code dues regularly and abide by it in ever
vay, getting nothing out of it e-cceot this -daed expense and detriaentaW.
effects.

 7e have no -'age differential to v-hich ".'e think ":e are jastly en-
titled, and which ^/as provided for in the ori-inal draft of the h,-ndbag.
Code, but nrhich p-orovision was left out, ie oou.id, ,.rhen the handbag Code.
fin, lly .cs announced as being in effect. As mentioned, there is a le.
ers provision in the Code, but the Adjuinistrator h-s never seen fit to,
give us any relief under it. The net results to us under the Code have
been that wve are compelled to .x y the same :niniinuW. %cae for ine:yerien.
help, without even a short period in ..hich to teach them to do our kin l
of work, that the :Te., York raanafactarer is compelled to pay for e-peri
help. Tne h.,ndicap to us crn be readily seen.

 The Leeker Compian-'s factory payroll for 19 i! ,as .125, 806.00,
which is 0.1 of our volume of sales for the -,ear, ,-hich is a 19,o in-
crease over 193. Our yer's operation for 19-4 sho':in,.g a net loss.
As a result of these haneic. ps, we have been forced to discontinue mak4
certain competitive lines, lines that the eastern manufacturers ap- I
parently are mailing successfully. Our business so far this yez.r being
33-1/3,1 less in volume than 1934. Natura.llL, ".-Ie are employing less peo
at the present time than v:e '.ere employing last year and would employ
under fair competitive conditions. As an example, last year at this t.:
-'e vere employing 176 people, -7hile at, present v-e are employing 42. e

 Another handicap to which consideration- should. be .-'iven is on
account of our long distance from mnaterit.l market ".e are compelled to
carry heavy inventories that the eastern .-mnufacturers do not have to
carry. :

 Relative to a '.age differential which "7e feel *7e are justly en- NI
titled to under the circ-astrnues as enu.mioted, it should be borne ini
mind that the cost of living in Joplin, iUissouri, is much less than th||
cost of living in the eastern and aetropolitcn centers. If --e '"ere co0o
ceded the differential :.-hich our hLn',lic.pped position in this field of:r
manufacture plainlyr indicates we are entitled to, --- wouldd be in a poseiL
tion to i.m.loy more labor than w-e ere able to employ c.t present, as TieI::.
could again resume lines ve have ha.d to .Tiscontinue, thus being more of
a benefit to our community 2nd be on a better basis as a firm.


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