study and observe the styles ,nd any developments in order to keep a-
breast vith the industry. This ex-pcnse is not required by the New York
factories.

 The handbag industr-, has a seasonal production. Its prin-
cipal market is during the Holid.-ys. It iecces i-'ily eacploys about twio
as much workers during the last half o: tic rear as re,.uired for the
first half. The ie.ew York comp.-n ies have an abundance of skilled labor.
The eek.er Comoany has no su:poly uoon which to draw, and when the 3lant
needs additional labor around the first of July, it is necessarT to use.
raw and unskilled worke'-s, vhile the i'e'.w York' plants get an abundance
of skill d labor.

 ,Under the Code, the iee&'er Co73pany is compelled to pav the
full minimum wage to these new und u:itrain.;d ':or':ers, a burden which
the jew York factories are not re4uii-',d to bear.

 There are a number of shirt, overall, and shoe factories
in the Joplin territory, and none of tne:i are required to pay mini:nam
wages aninrwhere near as high as the l.d.ies' handbag Code requires. As
a result of these handicaps, tne licokcr Co,:i..an: LW.s already, been forced.
out of a number of lines of reductionn wit.-i a result that its number of
employees are now greAtly7 reduced from rnat they .iere at this time last.
year.

 An investigation of living costs has been uade, based
upon the United States Deart.nocnt of Labor statistics, which shows that
workers in Joplin, Missouri, ca"i live Witnr the same comforts and neces-,.
sities of life at less than si:<ty-five per cent of the cost required
the workers in New York. The carfare alone, required of the New York
workers, is enough to justify, a substc.ntil. differential over the Jop-
lin workers, who have no such ex-ense. i.snr other items could be en-
umerated.

 The Meeker Comiany made an aD ?lication to the Code Author
ity months ago, to be relieved from the hendicajs vhich are destroying
the industry. It has received no symn)athetic cooperation, and I res-
pectfully call your attention to Sec. 3 of Art. 4 of the Code of Fair
Competition for the Ladies' Haidba- Industry, whichic h reads as follows:

 "The Administrator may, under exceptional circumstances
 and upon such conditions -.s he nma prescribe, 'ermit a member
 of the Industry to employ learners at rates below the minimum*
 wage herein established. II

 Because of the tragic problems '7ith wnich the Mieeker Compaq.
is confronted, I respectful, urge tnat you exercise the pooer invested?4
in you under the Code and that you ma2 'e such modifications and changes :!
as will remove the handicaps which h the Comoany is suffering and which Il
save this industry from destruction.


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