Evening star., 1933-12-10
PEEK CODE IDEAS.
APPR0VEDBYN.R.A
Moral Victory for A. A. A. Ad.
| ministrator Believed Sign
of Cancellation.


George N. Peek, A. A. A. administra-
tor. won q moral victory yesterday as
the N r. A. forwarded to the White
House the three food industry codes
in almost exactly the form which Mr..
Peek had advocated. This ant other
circumstances strengthened the official
belief that Mr.. Peek will accede to the
urgent request of the President and
remain in the administration for the
purpose of promoting foreign markets
for American agriculture.
Mr.. Peek would say nothing. but 1t
was learned indirectly that he would
probably make an announcement to-
morrow. A further note of concilliation
was struck by Chester C. Davis, produc-
ton director of the A. A. A., who is
slated to succeed to Mr.. Peek's present
Office.
Mr.. Davis said that the post as Mr..
Peek's successor as head of the A. A. A.
has not been offered to him.
If it should be offered" he said, "I
would consider it very carefully and
NOulu COllSull NIL. Ec6k DclOIS IG3CIlQR
q decision"
Mr.. Davis was associated with Mr..
Peek for years in the McNary- -Haugen
movement. However, he has been more
friendly than Mr.. Peek to the policies
OF Henry A. Wallace, Secretary of Agri-
culture, and ReXford G. Tugwell, Assist
ant Secretary of Agriculture. With
Mr.. Davis at the head of the A. A. A.,
Mr.. Wallace would be in full command
OF agriculture policy, yet Mr. Davis, be-
cause OF his connections with Mr. Peek,
would be able to coordinate the domes-
tlc program for agriculture with Mr..
Peeks management Of the agriculture
Foreign program, it was pointed out.
Tariff Bargaining Seen.
1t was suggested yesterday that the
special post in charge of agricultural
exports which has been offered to Mr..
Peek might be affiliated with the De-
partment of Commerce rather than the
Department OF State. In any case, If
Mr.. Peek accepts the job, an aggres-
slve policy of tariff bargaining is ex-
pected to ensue. Reciprocal tariff
agreements were advocated by Mr..
Roosevelt during his campaign, but lit
tie has been done toward carrying them
forward except in negotiations with Co.
lombia, Brazil and Portugal, until the
repeal OF the eighteenth amendment
provided the administration with new
bargaining power.
The three codes whipped into final
form yesterday by the N. r. A. were
sent over from the A. A. A. only two
days ago, when President Roosevelt
broke deadlock in the A. A. A. BY
making transfer of jurisdiction. The
codes are those for retail food and gro
ceries, wholesale food and groceries, and
food manufacturers. The Tugwell pure
1000 requirements and the power of the
Government to overrule the code au-
thor1tles at any moment and to have
full access to all books of the business
concerned were stricken out. It is un-
derstood that prohibition against SELL
ng below cost was written in. Provi-
sion has been made also for food and
grocery industry conference, through
which the three stages of the food busi-
ness would be co-ordinated.
Since the codes relating to the gro
Gerry and food business went to the N
r. A. they have been checked over by
its general counsel, Donald r. Rich.
berg. and by A. D. Whiteside, division
administrator; Gen. Hugh S. johnson.
recovery administrator, has also given
them attention.
N. r. A. Seen Victor.
While officials late yesterday declined
to make any detailed statement as to
the revlslons in the grocery and food
codes, it has become known that when
they emerge finally and are signed by
President Roosevelt they will in all
conform to N. r. A. ideas,
rather than the more radical ideas of
the A. A. A. organization.
The N. r. A. organization has already
worked out general retail code and
retail drug code. Those codes have
been in large measure satisfactory to
retail interests, although there have
been some protestations.
1t Is the understanding that in work.
ing out the codes for the grocery and
food business the N. R. A. officials are
seeking as far as practicable to follow
the lines of the general retail codes and
the retail drug code.
Il view Of this, it is expected that
when the A. A. A. codes are signed by
''mark-ups" as to prices. It is also ex-
pected that the idea of self-government
In industry with respect to code au-
torities will be adopted to large extent
and no effort will be made to have the
Government arbitrarily impose code au-
thorities on the industries.
President Has Last Say.
While the indications now are that |
N r. A. rather than A. A. A. principles
will obtain in the grocery and food
codes, it is nevertheless to be borne in
mind that President Roosevelt himself |
will have the last say as to all details
Of these codes.
Indications are that the N. r. A. will
act speedily on all the A. A. A. codes
which have been transferred to it. 1t
is also indicated that rehearings will
be avoided in all or nearly all instances.
1t is expected the policy which the ,
N. r. A. will adopt as to examination |
of books will be the one favored here |
tofore by Gen. Johnson This policy |
would not sanction the idea of the Gov
eminent at all times standing over in
dustries prepared to examine all details |
Of their books, but to limit inquiries to |
the specific matters having to do with
the carrying out Of codes and recovery
requirements.