Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-04-29
HIGH WAGE LEVELS
URGED BY LAMONT
BEFORE U. S. C. OF c.
Tells Delegates This Is Nee
essary to Maintain Pur-
chasing Power.
PRAISES COOPERATION
OF INDUSTRY IN CRISIS
Proposed Resolution Will Urge
Revision of Antitrust
Laws.
BY the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
I'll ANTIC CITY, N. j., April 20
The NOS: prosperous periods of the
Matters industrial history, said Robert
P. Lament, Secretary CT Ccmmerco, at
the opening session to;sy of the United
States Chamber of Commerce have been
those "coincident with high wages and
Shorter hours"
IF millions of workers are out of en-
p!cynlent for year through loss of
wages, their buying power is cut by
billions OF dollars the Secretary said.
"If the income of the remaining millions
wic ere still employed is cut 10 per cent
through shorter hours and part-time
work the loss amounts to several more
billions Add to this great loss in buy
inr power the rstrenchment due to the
fears ard uncertainties of such period,
and the total loss of purchasing power
becomes a staggering amount
A governmental program contemplate
ing expenditures as high as a billion
dollars a year would be helpful. he
said. but could not materially affect
the situation"
Mr.. Lamont's address followed Prssi-
dent William Butterworth's keynote
speech. The convention was called to
order at 10 O'Clock.
History viii Repeat.
st am enough of an optimist," MIR.
Lamont said, TO believe that industrial
history will again repeat itself and that
the next so years will witness further
6ispiacs n1ent Of labor and the further
Development of many new products and
services which will afford employment
to those displaced and supply the ever
expanding wants of our people.
"Eut these bright prospects for the
long-term future cannot obscure the
fact that we are deep into one of the
most severe depress.ons of cur business
history and that labor and capital as
well have suffered seriously from cur
tailed earnings and unemployment. In
spite of this am sure it will not be
denisd that there has been less actual
distress and less social disturbance than
ever before under similar circumstances.
Industry generally has shown an in
terest in its workers of a quality never
before seen in this or any other country.
Labor's attitude as well has been most
enlightened one.
Cooperation Helpful Factor.
This voluntary assumption of the
part of industry, involving as it has
the finest type of cooperative spirit
and collective effort, has been one of
the most important factors in carrying
us thus far without serious distress or
disturbance through major depression.
And this attitude on the part of in
dustry toward its common problems
seems to me to hold out the bsSt hope
Of the future"
Mr.. Lamont said he had seen no way
whereby the Federal Government could
have helped the situation more than
it has: That already there are some
indications the present situation is
being corrected.
He pointed out that the severity of
depressions least the Statistical
picture" o. the severity of the depres-
Sion-haS been becoming greater in re-
cent decades, and this still further en-
phasizes the necessity Of serious efforts
TO bring about some means Of control.
He emphasized that attempts to rem
edy the situation after a collapse can
not be very effective-that industry
must Largely do the job of prevention
itself.
Urge Trust Law Change.
A campaign for revision of the anti
trust laws to authorize trade agree
ments under the Federal Trade Com
mission is foreshadowed in a resolution
to be submitted to the convention.
Henry Fowler of the Trade Relations
Committee of the chamber, in an ad-
dress before the newly-formed congress
Of industries, said his committee hes
prepared a resolution to be offered TO
the chamber as follows:
In order to define and thereby make
certain the proper basis Of co-opera-
ton between business and the Federal
Trade Commission for the promotion OF
batter business standards and for the
prevention of unsound competitive prac-
tees the Chamber of Commerce urges
Continued on Page O. Column A.