Document Rjn9joODMwYp0Dw6EgjNByryE

EXECUTIVE CCUEITTEE NESTING New York, N. Y August a, 1933. A meeting of the Executive Committee of the Lead Industries Association was held in the Board Room of the American Smelting i Refining Co., 'Terr York City, on August 8, 1933, at 10:00 A.M. Present Representing Clinton H. Crane, E. A. Behr R. W. Straus R. M. Roosevelt 7T. C. Eeschorman J. A. McCarthy F. F. Colcord F. S. llulock Chairman 3t. Joseph Lead Co. American Smelting a Refining Co. * n n it n Eagle-Picher Lead Co. National Lead Co. United Uetals Selling So. United States Smelting Refin ing se. Uining Co. Inc. F. E. wormser, Secretary. Ur. Crane -occupied the chair. The Chairman presented a draft of a letter which it was proposed to submit to the Deputy Administrator of the National Recovery Administration as a petition for a modification of the President's Reemployment Agreement. After discussing it and making a few changes in the draft It was regularly moved, seconded and carried that the letter, as follows, be approved and submitted to the Ad ministrator in Washington, D. C. Under the provisions of Section 13 of the President's Reemployment Agreement we respectfully request substitution of Articles II, VI and VII of the Basic Code of Fair Competition for the Lead In dustries, as submitted to the Administrator on August 1, 1933, for Sections 3, 6 and 9 of the President's Reemployment Agreement. In accordance with your suggestion we submit the following data in support of our petition covering substitution: Article II - Definitions This substitution is proposed as no definitions covering the industry are included in the President's Agreement, and it is our belief that you are desirous of confining any modification of the President's Agreement to a specific industry. The definitions as outlined in this section have already been reviewed by your Control Division and it is felt fully cover the industry. Article VI - Hours of Labor The maximum number of hours per week for each Divi sion in the lead industry are as follows: Lead Mining Division Lead Smelting and Refining Division Lead Manufacturing Division 56 hours 56 hours 66 hours The limitation of hours to 35 hours per week under the President's Agreement would work considerable hardship and is impracticable as respects the lead industry, which largely necessitates a continuous process requiring a 24-hour day and a 7-day week. We estimate that operation of the Code will increase employment in the Lead Industries, for those companies now operating in excess of 40 hours, as follows; Lead Mining Division Lead Smelting shod Refining Division Lead Manufacturing Division 24^ 20^ 19 Article VII - Minimum Wages The following table gives a comparison of the mini mum wages p^id in the Lead Industry as of January and June, 1933, compared with those in the Lead Code: January June Proposed 1933 1933 Lead Code Lead Mining Division Lead Smelting and Refining Division Lead Pigments Division Metallic Lead Products Division 28 2 25 25 24 29 20 20 35 35 35 35 LI A 02421 Article IX - Presidents Code It is believed that this paragraph is impossible of practicable application to the Loud Industry, as lead is a basic world commodity, the price of which is established by the open world market, which in turn is subject to the law of Eupply and demand. The entire price structure of lead pro ducts is therefore based upon the world market prices, and even if the industry wished to do so, could not "take pro fiteering advantage of the consuming public", since the price of lead is of necessity limited to the London price, plus the import tariff. Lead and its compounds are produced from mines con taining lead ores of various grades. Under conditions of re stricted demand and low prices, only the richer mines, with a low cost per unit of lead, can be operated. As demand in creases it becomes necessary to draw upon lower grade ores, with hither costs per unit of lead,A w C- L. J and the price must neces sarily rise sufficiently to : .'emio ouch nines to operate. The marginal mines set the price for the product. The present dornestic price of only 4.5 cents per pound is extremely low as is shewn by the comparison with the average price of 7.45 cents per pound for the years 137.5 through 1329, and the 9.02 cents average price for the year 1925. To endeavor to hold the price at a given level, such as that of July 1, 1925, which was 4.20 cents per pound, would prevent the opening of more mines and the giving of additional employment. In fact, the increased costs of production under the Code might even cause the shutting down of mines that have already reopened, and thus throw men out of employment and de feat the purpose of the Act. Conclusion In order that employees and others may obtain the benefits of the Lead Code at the earliest possible date, and so that the members of the Association complying with the Code may at once be permitted to use the insignia of the National Recovery Administration, we respectfully urge that the substi tution herein requested be made effective as quickly as possible. Very truly yours, LEAD INDUSTRIES ASSOCIATION Secretary. LI AC 2 4 2 2 The Chairman called for an expression of opinion as to the necessity for the Foil Division of the Lead Indus tries Association supplying labor data in support of the Code of the Lead Industries Association. It was recommended that members of the Foil Division furnish the required labor data. Two new aoplications for membership having been re ceived It was regularly moved, seconded and carried that the Lead Lined Iron Pipe Company be admitted to membership and the National Bearing Hetalc Corporation be reinstated to mem bership in the Lead Industries Association. LI AO 24 23 I