Registry No. 1657-1-03 

NATIONAL RECOVERY ADMINISTRATION 

C·ODE OF FAIR COMPETITION 

FOR THE 

FISHING TACKLE INDUSTRY 

, . .. ! oAS APPROVED ON AUGUST 19, 1933 

BY 

PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT 

WE DO OUR PART 

I. Executive Order 

2. Report of hearing submitted to National Recovery 

Admiuistrator Johnson by Deputy Administrator 

Whiteside 

3. Text of Code 

UNITED STATES 

GOVERNMENT PRIN'.l'ING OFFICE 

WASHINGTON : 1933 

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For sale by the Superintendent of Documents, Washington, D.C. - - - • - - - • P rice 5 cents 

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EXECUTIVE ORDER 

CODE OF FAIR COMPETITION FOR THE FISHING TACKLE INDUSTRY 

An application having been duly made, pursuant to and in full 

compliance with the provisions of Title I of the National Industrial 

Recovery Act, approved June 16, 1933, for my approval of a Code 

of Fair Competition for the Fishing Tackle Industry, and hearings 

having been held thereon and the Administrator having rendered his 

report containing an analysis of the said Code of Fair Competition 

together with his recommendations and findings with respect thereto, 

and the Administrator having found that the said Code of Fair 

Competition complies with the pertinent. provisions of Title I of 

said Act: 

Now, therefore, I, Franklin D. Roosevelt, President of the United 

States, pursuant to the authority vested in me by Title I of the 

National Industrial Recovery Act, approved June 16, 1933, and 

otherwise, do adopt and approve the report, recommendations, and 

findings of the Administrator and do order that the said Code of 

Fair Competition be an it is hereby approved, subject to the following condition: 

(1) The Associated Fishing Tackle Manufacturers shall, as soon 

as practic~1?le, am~nd the ~y Laws of said A~so.ciation by repealing 

that p~ovis10n which requires a vote of a maJonty of the Executive 

Comnuttee or of the members for election to membership in the 

Association. 

Approval Recommended : 

HUGH s. JOHNSON, 

Administrator. 

THE W IDTE HousE, 

August 19, 1933. 

FRANKLIN D. ROOSEVELT. 

(III) 

NATIONAL RECOVERY ADMINISTRATION 

WASHINGTON, D.C., August 16, 1933. 

To the Administratorr: 

INTRODUCTION 

This is the report of the deputy administrator to the administrator on the application £or, and public hearing on, a code of £air 

,competition £or the fishing tackle industry, as proposed by The Associated Fishing Tackle Manufacturers. The code was adopted first 

on July 21, 1933, by a convention of fishing tackle manufacturers 

.and was submitted in its present form £or approval, as revised prior 

to the close of the public hearing on August 14, 1933. 

The hearing was conducted in vVashington on August 14, 1933. 

Every person who requested an appearance was freely heard in .accordance with statutory and regulatory requirements. 

It is pertinent to remark that the Association sponsored the original code convention and succeeding conventions, but that all known 

manufacturers, whether Association members or not, were invited to 

be present and to vote on all proposals. In setting up the Fishing 

Tackle Industry Code Committee no nominations were made, and 

ballots were secret £or the election of the five members to represent 

the industry. This procedure is subject to the approval of the 

.Administrator. I recommend that it be approved. 

ECONOMIC AND STATISTICAL MATERIAL 

The fishing tackle manufacturing industry is relatively small and 

.is classified by the Bureau of the Census with "Sporting and Athletic Goods." Thus it is difficult to attain an accurate statistical 

picture of the industry, but there are about 200 units. Certain discrepancies exist as between the Census figures and those submitted 

by the Association, but the latter include the 150 or so units of the ·"woodshed" variety, wherein one individual is usually the whole 

works, producing one or more items £or local consumption. 

The Association has 51 members, which produce approximately 

85% of all fishing tackle, valued at between $7,000,000 and $8,000,000 ·£or 1933. The industry has 3,100 workers at present; each worker is ,employed an average of 46 hours per week. In the peak year of 1928, 

there were not far from 3,500 workers and the average hours per 

week were about 47. 

Data on wages have not been available, but it was adduced during 

the hearing that as little as 16 cents per hour had been paid £or the 

lowest class of labor. Skilled workmen, however, such as machinists, 

had been averaging in excess of $40.00 per week. In this connection 

9675-33 (V) 
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it was developed that there has been a considerable seasonal swing im 

production and employment in the industry as a whole. 

RESUME OF CODE PROVISIONS 

All members of the industry realized the unwholesome competitivesituation brought about by these conditions and the code as proposed 

offers specific remedies : 

The maxirnwm hourrs of w-orlo are set at 40 per week. There are no· exceptions save office, supervisory, and sales staffs; but the office force 

shall not exceed 40 hours per week averaged over a six months1

· 

period. 

The minimwn rate of pay has been determined at 35 cents per· 

hour. Employees who have been receiving more pay for the longerweek are protected against any decrease. The differences between. 

wage rates, as of July 15, 1933, will not be decreased. It is important 

to remark that no differentiation is made between male and female- labor because the latter comprises something like 40% o:f the total 

and has previously been paid on a lower basis than male. 

The industry, furthermore, agreed to abolish any overtime allowances for seasonal peaks, which, together with the inclusion of 

certain standards of trade practice, should tend to stabilize production and employment. 

The operation of the code should, at least in theory, result in the 

employment of more than 600 additional persons, thus bringing the 

total well over that for the peak year of 1928. The exact increase in 

purchasing power deriving from the new wage scale and the increased 

employment is not ascertainable, but it will doubtless be substantial. 

A minority in the industry, supported by certain jobbing interests, 

would have liked to include in the code a classification of distributors 

and to establish a formula of sale and resale discounts for each such 

class. This proposal, however, was entirely unacceptable to the majority; in view of the fact that it was not demonstrated how such a 

provision would benefit either the industry or the consumer and, 

further, that it is likely to be considered in the wholesale' and retail 

businesses when their codes are heard, no action seems expedient. 

FINDINGS 

I find that: (a) The Code complies in all respects with the l?ert.inent provisions of Title I of the Act, including, without limitat10n .. subsection (a) of Section 7, and subsection (b) of Section 10 thereof; 

and that 

(b) the Associated Fishing Tackle Manufacturers is truly representative of the fishing tackle industry. The By-Laws of this Association provide no inequitable restrictions to membership, but as now 

constituted, provide that any manufacturer of fishing tackle shall be 

admitted to membership upon a majority vote of the Executive Committee or, if the Executive Committee votes against admission, upon 

a majority vote of the membership of the Association; this provision 

is open to possible abuse and the Associated Fishing Tackl:e Manufac-
VII 

turers, through their Executive Committee, have agreed to amend the 

By-Laws as rapidly as the By-Laws themselves permit to avoid the 

possibility of any inequitable restriction upon membership; in order 

not to delay the operation of this Code, I recommend that the code 

be approved subject to the condition that the Associated Fishing 

Tackle Manufacturers amend their By-Laws to admit any manu .. facturer upon compliance with the customary conditions and with .. out the requirement of a vote of approval by either the Executive 

Committee or the membership; and that 

( c) the Code is not designed to promote monopolies or to eliminate or oppress small enterprises and will not operate to discriminate 

against them, and will tend to effectuate the policy of Title I of the 

National Industrial Recovery Act. 

The Industrial and Labor Advisory Boards have expressed satis .. faction with the code now presented. It was particularly pleasing 

to the Labor Advisor to have deleted any allowance in hours for 

seasonal peaks and any differentiation in the minimum pay of male 

and female employees. - The Consumers Advisory Board finds itself in agreement with all 

provisions in the code but suggests that care be taken to get adequate 

information into the hands of the Industry Code Committee, the ad .. ministrative body. In that three members will be appointed by the 

President of the United States and that the code itself establishes 

many of the primary duties of this Committee and allows discretionary powers subject to your approval. I do not believe that the 

Consumers Board need feel any concern in this respect. 

I believe that the fishing tackle manufacturers fully appreciate 

their responsibility and have evinced a constructive and cooperative 

will to serve it. 

I recommend that the code be approved. 

Respectfully submitted. 

A. D. w HITESIDE, 

Deputy Administrator. 

CODE OF FAIR COMPETITION FOR THE FISHING TACKLE 

INDUSTRY 

For the purpose of increasing employment, establishing fair and 

adequate wages, effecting necessary reduction of hours of labor, improving standards of labor, and eliminating unfair trade practices, to the end of rehabilitating the fishing tackle industry, and enabling 

it to do its part tow11rds establishing that balance of industry which 

js necessary to the restoration and maintenance of the highest degree 

of public welfare, the following is established as the Code of Fair 

Competition for the fishing tackle industry. 

ARTICLE I-DEFINITIONS 

SECTION 1. The term " Fishing Tackle Industry " as used herein 

shall include the manufacture of wood fishing rods; metaJ fishing 

rods; fishing reels; fishing lines; flies; ~nelled hooks; gut and wire 

leaders; baits, including all wood, metal, composition, and preserved 

lures; fishing hooks; floats, furnished iines and sinkers; sundries, 

including creels, tackle boxes, minnow buckets, bait boxes, fly books 

and boxes, rod cases,. reel cases, and tackle containers of all kinds; 

landing nets, dip nets, minnow seines and nets, nets for crabs 

.. and other live baits; gaffs and gaff hooks; rod mountings and parts; 

swivels and snaps and all other accessories such as scalers, disgorgers, 

stringers, fish knives, and any other article of fishing tackle not ·specifically mentioned herein. 

SEc. 2. The term "manufacturer" as used herein shall include 

all natural persons, partnerships, associations, corporations, and 

trusts, including trustees in bankruptcy and receivers, engaged in 

the conduct of any branch of the Fishing Tackle Industry. 

ARTICLE II-STANDARDS OF LABOR AND EMPLOYMENT 

SECTION 1. To effectively apply to the Fishing Tackle Industry ·the letter and spirit of Section 7 (a) of the National Industrial 

Recovery Act, it is a stipulation of this Code that: 

(a) E.mployees shall have the right to organize and bargain collectively through representatives of their own choosing, and shall be 

free from all interference, restraint, or coercion of employers of 

labor or their agents, in the designation of such representatives, or 

in self-organization, or in other concerted activities for the purpo e 

of collective bargaining or other mutual aid or protection. 

(b) No employee and no one seeking employment shall be required 

as a condition of employment to join any company union or to refrain from joining, organizing, or assisting a labor organization of 

his own choosing. 

(]) 
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( c) Employers shall compl'y with the maximum hours of labort 

minimum rates of pay, and other conditions of employment approved 

or prescribed by the President of the United States. 

SEc. 2. On and after the effective date no manufacturer shall em•· ploy any minor under the age of 16 years, provided, however, that 

where a State law provides a higher minimum age no manufacturer 

shall employ within that State any person below the age specified by 

such State law. 

SEc. 3. All manufacturers within the Industry shall comply with, 

the following conditions pertaining to maximum hours of labor and 

rates of pay : 

(a) On and after the effective date no manufacturer shall operate· 

upon a schedule of hours of labor for his employees-except office, 

upervisory staff, and sales force-in excess of forty (40) hours per 

week and eight (8) hours per day; the maximum hours of labor for 

office employees shall not exceed forty (40) hours a week averaged 

over each period of six ( 6) months based upon the usual fiscal year 

of any manufacturer. 

(b) On and after the effective date the minimum rate of wages 

..,hall be not less than thirty-five (35¢) cent per hour, provided, however, that where a State law provides a higher minimum wage no 

person employed within that State shall be paid a wage below that 

required by such State law. Home workers ana wo:rkers whose re1nuneration is dependent upon quantity and/or quality of production 

hall in no case receive les than the above specified hourly rate of 

pay. 

( c) The amount of difference existing on July 15, 1933, between 

wage rates paid various classes of employees receiving more than the_ 

established minimum wage shall not be decreased; and in no event 

hall any employee be paid a less wage for a work week of forty ( 40) 

hours than such employee was receiving for the same class of work 

for the longer week prevailing prior to the effective date of this Code. 

ARTICLE III-TRADE PRACTICE 

Fair and constructive competition is to be encouraged at all time8 1 

but, in order that the Fi"hing Tackle Industry may be rehabilitated, 

unfair and destructive competition, wastes and excesses must be 

eliminated. Each manufacturer shall comply with the :following 

trade practices and violation of any of them shall be dee1ned an act 

of unfair competition within the meaning of the Federal Trade 

Commission Act: 

SECTION 1. Sales belon• cost of vroduction and dist1ibution.-In 

rder to prevent destructive price cutting in the Industry, no manufacturer shall sell or off er for sale any product at a price less than 

its "reasonable cost of production and di tribution," except as provided in Sections 2 ann 3 of this Article. The Fishino- Tackle Industry Code Committee provided for in Article IV hereinafter, shall, 

~nbject to the approval of the Admini trator, et up as soon as practicable a standard method of cost accounting for the Industry. Said 

Con1mittee shall, subject to the approval of the Administrator, define 

'· reasonable cost of production and distribution " £or the purposes 
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-0f this Code and determine upon a basis to be uniform among the 

manufacturers of this Industry the character of the items to 

be included within such "reasonable cost of production and 

distribution." 

SEc. 2. Sales to Other M anufacturers.-In order to better distribute employment and to prevent overproduction capacity, nothing in this Code shall prevent one manufacturer from selling his 

product to another bona fide fishing tackle manufacturer at prices 

mutually agreed upon, providing such sales are made at prices not 

less than " factory costs," and further providing that the purchasing 

manufacturer complies with the provisions of this Code when reselling said merchandise. All such sales or agreements for such sales 

between manufacturers shall be reported within the first ten days 

of the month following to the executive officer of the Fishing Tackle 

Industry Code Committee. Said Committee shall, subject to theapproval of the Administrator, define "factory costs" ,for thepurposes of this Code. 

SEc. 3. Close Out M erchandise.-Mill ends, dropped lines or surplus stocks which must be converted into cash, may be sold at such_ _ prices as are necessary, provided such merchandise shall not be sold 

at a price less than the direct cost of labor and raw materials. Thetotal of all such sales, with the lowest unit price indicated, shall be 

reported within the first ten days of the month following to theexecutive officer of the Fishing Tackle Industry Code ·Committee. 

SEc. 4. Refusing to Sell Other Products or ltems.-No manufacturer shall refuse to sell one class of product or item to a customer 

except on condition the purchaser will also purchase other products 

or item.s made or sold by the same manufacturer; or sell such otherproducts at reduced prices or on special terms or under special conditions given to induce the buyer to purchase such other different 

classes of articles. Each manufacturer shall sell each different line 

of merchandise independently, and shall not cut the price on onewith the provision that other lines be purchased, or require a purchaser to purchase one class of merchandise as a consideration forbeing allowed to purchase another. 

SEc. 5. Tenn.s.-Terms to customers buying at jobber prices shall 

be 2% ten days E.O.M., 60 days net from date of invoice; no dating; 

no sales or shipments on consignments; and any interest allowed forantici~ated payment of invoices shall not exceed the rate of six percent ( 6%) per annum. 

SEc. 6. Advertising Ethics.-N o manufacturer shall use false or 

misleading statements or illustrations in catalogs or any form of 

advertisement. 

ARTICLE IV-ADMINISTRATION 

SECTION 1. To effectuate further the policies of the Act, a Fish-- ing Tackle Industry Code Committee is hereby designated to cooperate with the Administrator as a planning and fair-practice- agency for the Fishing Tackle Industry. This Committee shall consist of five representatives of the Industry elected by a. fair method· of selection, to be a pp roved by the Administrator, and three members without a vote appointed by the President of the United States► 
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Such agency may, with the approval of a majority of the members 

of the Associated Fishing Tackle Manufacturers, present to the 

Administrator recommendations based on conditions in the Industry 

as they may develop from time to time which will tend to effectuate 

the operation of the provisions of this Code and the policy of the 

National Industrial Recovery Act. Such recommendations shall, 

upon approval by the Administrator, become operative as a part 

of this Code. 

SEc. 2. Such agency is also set up to cooperate with the Administrator in making investigations as to the functioning and observ- .ance of any provisions of this Code, at its own instance or on complaint by any person affected, and to report the same to the Administrator. 

SEC. 3. Such agency is also set up for the purpose of investigating 

-and informing the Administrator on behalf of the Fishing Tackle 

Industry as to the importation of competitive articles into the 

United States in substantial quantities or in increasing ration to ·domestic production on such terms or under such conditions as to 

render ineffective or seriously to endanger the maintenance of this 

Code, and as an agency for n1aking complaint to the President on 

behalf of the Fishing Tackle Industry, under the provisions of the 

National Industrial Recovery Act, with respect thereto. 

SEc. 4. The Secretary-Treasurer of The Associated Fishing Tackle 

Manufacture.rs shall be the executive officer of the Fishing Tackle 

Industry Code Committee. 

SEc. 5. In order to provide data necessary for the administration 

of this Code, all manufacturers shall furnish to the office of the 

Secretary-Treasurer of The Associated Fishing Tackle Manufacturers such information or reports as may be required, subject to 

the approval of the Adn1inistrator, by the Fishing Tackle Industry 

Code Committee. Such information as may be submitted to the 

.Secretary-Treasurer by one manufacturer shall not be revealed to 

any other manufacturer except as may be required by the Fishing 'Tackle Industry Code Committee to effectuate the purposes of this 1

Code. 

SEC. 6. Any manufacturer may participate in any activities of The 

Associated Fishing Tackle Manufacturers, by assuming a proper 

pro rata share of the cost and responsibility of administering this 

Code, either by becoming a member of The Associated Fishing 

Tackle Manufacturers or by paying to it an amount equal to the 

due from time to time provided to be paid by a member in like 

.situation. 

ARTICLE V-GENERAL 

SECTION 1. This Code shall be in effect beginning ten days afte its 

:approval by the President of the United States. 

SEc. 2. Any contract in effect on the effective date of this Code 

shall be reported to the executive officer of the Fi hing Tackre 

Industry Code Committee and said Code Committee shall act as 

an agency to assist in effecting appropriate adjustments of such contracts by arbitral proceedings or otherwise, to reflect any increased 

costs due to the application of the provisions of this Code. 
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SEC. 3. In the event of the elimination of any provision of this 

Code for any cause whatsoever, the remaining provisions shall nevertheless continue in full force and effect until modified or eliminated 

or until the expiration of the National Industrial Recovery Act. 

SEc. 4. It is expressly understood and agreed that no provision 

of this Code shall be interpreted or applied as in any way : 

(a) tending to promote monopolies or the establishment of exorbitant prices by the industry; 

(b) permitting or encouraging unfair competition; 

( c) tending to eliminate or oppress small enterprises or to discriminate against small enterprises. 

SEO. 5. This Code and all the provisions thereof are expressly 

made subject to the right of the President, in accordance with the 

provision of Clause 10 (b) of the National Industrial Recovery Act, 

from time to time to cancel or modify any order, approval, license, 

rule, or regulation, issued under Title I of said Act, and specifically to 

the right of the President to cancel or modify his approval of this 

Code or any conditions imposed by him upon his approval thereof. 

SEc. 6. Such of the provisions of this Code as are not required to be 

included therein by the National Industrial Recovery Act may, with 

the approval of the President, be modified or eliminated as changes 

in the circumstances or exi)erience may indicate. It is conte1nplated 

that from time to time supplementary provisions to this Code or 

additional codes wiiil be submitted for the approval of the President 

to prevent unfair competition in price and other unfair and destructive competitive practices and to effectuate the other purposes and 

policies of Title I of the National Industrial Recovery Act consistent. 

with the provisions thereof. 

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