Evening star., 1933-08-06
PRICE FIXING TOPS
RECOVERY ISSUES
Tobacco Group Joins Oil Men
to Make Subject Next
Big Problem.
Continued From First Page.)

Continued From First Page.)
PENNSYLVANIA bituminous coal strike,
which precipitated the broad effort to
prevent future trouble.
The Industrial and Labor Advisory
Boards jointly appeal to all those as
sociated with industry-owners. man
ayers and employes-to unite in the
preservation of industrial peace" the
statement said.
Strikes and lockouts will increase
unemployment and create a condition
clearly out of harmony with the spirit
and purpose of the industrial recovery
act
Through the applicc Jon Of the act
the Government is sincerely endeavor
ing to overcome unemployment through
a Nationwide reduction in the hours
of work and to increase purchasing
power through an increase in wage
rates.
This objective can only be reached
through cooperation on the part of all
those associated with industry.
Mutual Respect Urged.
In order to develop the greatest de-
gree OF cooperation and the highest
type of service on the part of manage
ment and labor. we urge that all causes
of irritation and industrial discomfort
be removed so far as possible; that all
concerned respect the rights of both
employers and employees; avoid aggres-
sive action which tends to provoke in
dustrial discord and strive earnestly
RI ind, iof
peace pending the construction and
adoption of the industrial codes ap-
plicable to all business, large and
small"
Both President Roosevelt and John
son described the voluntary" action
of the two boards as the most mo-
mentous step OF its kind since the late
Samuel Gompcrs. then president of the
Federation OF Labor, appealed during
the war to all organized workers to
keep the status quo and avoid strikes
until the conflict ended.
Johnson pointed out that this was
an even more portentouS venture be-
cause labor and capital had joined
together to effect it.
The flrst meeting of the board will
be held here tomorrow. and it was said
that it would Immediately have before
1t all preliminary data upon strikes now
existent What course will be taken and
which particular strike will receive at
tention at once Will be decided at that
time.
Codes to Compose Affairs.
johnson said. however, that after
codes are adopted there should be few
reasons to strike or for employers to
attempt lockouts.
Permanent headquarters will be
established at the Offices of the Re
covery Administration and subsidiary
arbitration boards in many localities
may BE- set up to handle questions which
arise under the codes.
The three additional industries which
were brought under special temporary
wage and hour codes yesterday included
Photographic manufacturers. for whom
a nearing was held Friday, and the
msyonnaise and linseed oil groups.
Meanwhile President Roosevelt was
brought a step closer to a decision on
Government price fixing when the to-
bacco industry allied itself with a large
part OF the oil industry in petitioning
Tor such action under the national re-
covery act. proposal to fix a uniform
retail price for cigarettes and cigars
was made public as a part of a code
agreed upon by the National Associa-
tlon of Tobacco Distributors and the
Retail Tobacco Dealers of America, Inc,
representing the major part of the in
dustry.
Whole Industry Appeals.
1t was the first price-flxing appeal
to come from an industry virtually as a
whole and was expected to force the
Issue II the oil industry does not. A
powerful group OF self-styled oil inde-
pendents had failed during the week to /
force prlce-tlxlng clause, or even a
cost recovery clause. into the tenta-
tive trade practice code drawn up by !
Gen. johnson for that industry.
In the face of protests from Harry F. |
Sinclair. prominent oil producer, that |
the proposed oil code was "a mere scrap |
OF paper under the circumstances and |
tantamount to bankruptcy petition for |
much Of that industry, Gen. Hugh S |
johnson stood his ground against a |
resort to price-fXing.
Inc bitterness of the conflict within
the OIL industry was reflected in a state
ment issued by Sinclair. chairman of !
the Executive Committee of the Com !
solidated Oil Co.
One thing has become clear as
result OF two weeks effort to formulate .
a code for the oil industry" he said,
IhS Is tlat Il the so-called conserva- |
i've school of thought prevails, the ma /
tlonal recovery act will be dead>letter .
so lar as our industry is concerned.
Denies Deliberate Move.
1T IS not necessary to conclude. as
many people and a number of news
papers have done, that there is a de-
hoerate purpose to block the operation
OF the Presidents recovery program.
But the result will be just the same
whether the purpose is deliberate or is
the outcome of bad reasoning or an
mgrained aversion to governmental
control"
Many of the oil leaders and not a
few executives of the tobacco industry
refused to concede that the fight to !
carry national recovery regulations to
the point of price fixing was lost. Sig
nificance was attached to the fact that
Harold L. Ickes, Secretary of the In
terror, had taken over the task of re-
vising the oil code after Gen. johnson
had failed to agree with the industry.
Mr.. Ickes not only is sympathetic to
the so-called independent group of |
producers, but Is a firm hacker of James
A Moffett, former vice president of the
Standard Oil Co. of New Jersey, who
champions price regulation" in the oil