Evening star., 1933-10-23
ROOSEVELT SIGNS
RETAIL STORE CODE;
LITTLE MEN EXEMPT
Continued From First Page.)

A. or. as in the case Of food dealers,
handled by the Farm Administration.
The text of JOhnSOn'S statement fol-
lows:
"The President has by executive or
der exempted local retail stores employ
ing fewer than five persons from TIE
retail code and Unemployment Ngree-
ment.
Explains the Reasons.
"The reasons therefor will be found
in the following statement:
The recovery program came at a
time when low prices were crushing
agriculture. when in cities there was the
greatest unemployment we have known,
when debt and closed banks were slow
ing activity in both cities and farms,
and when destructive business practices
due to the depression threatened many
industries. The recovery program was
designed to go to the heart of each
trouble. To farmers it gave the adjust
ment and the farm loan acts To the
unemployed it gave the recovery act.
which also permitted the wiping out of
unfair trade practices The banking
and financial legislation attacked the
problem of debt and frozen deposits for
both farm and city
"All this was started less than six
months ago. 1t involved great eco
nomic reorganization affecting the
whole Nation. OF course it could not
move at the same speed on all fronts.
1t Is too early to appraise results. But
employment in factories alone in
creased 1867 in three months and
pay rolls 1850, and Of course the re-
employment from March to the end of
October is much greater. Even these
figures are fragmentary. A national
survey is now in progress to determine
the exact extent Of unemployment.
Refers to Low Prices.
of course more wages In trade and
industry mean increased costs and
higher prices. We must remember that.
when we started in. many prices were
at panic low-levels at which neither
INDUSTRY nor labor could survive. Part
OF the increase is merely restoration
to living levels. In the Presidents re-
employment agreement EMPLOYERS
promised not to increase prices faster
than costs increased. In most cases
they have respected that compact.
"Of this broad program N. r. A. is
but single part. 1t has nothing to
do with farm prices or public works
or the Oil administration or the home
and farm loan acts or any other fiscal
or banking matter. 1t is solely con-
cerned with industrial organization for
economic planning and control and with
Unemployment. 1t has made mistakes
and it will make more mistakes. But
1t ought not to be blamed for things
such as farm prices or public works
with which it has nothing to do.
1T has been said by some that it has
h he for k,-5
of the things he buys faster than farm
prices have increased. The average fig
ureS do not bear this out. But there
are others who insist that nothing at all
should be done for the unemployed until
all farm crops are restored to a pre-
war price relationship. Surely no fair
mind can support this proposal. In
this crisis We must move to the aid of
human misery-whenever there is any
way to help-as quickly and as directly
as we can.
Finds Solution Difficult
The very nature of the farm prob
lem. with its annual crops, makes its
solution slower and harder than the
employment problem, and Government
is moving on both problems with all
the vigor and power at it's command
But there can be no turning back on
the re-employment program. 1t would
be tragic folly to turn millions OF the
re-employed back on the streets on the
argument that thus the cost of living
could be reduced-no informed and
ir-minded farmer asks for that.
But. after four months of experience
with N. r. A., we find that there are
some things we can do in aid of the
farmer and the rural merchant. The
President has therefore exempted local
retail stores employing less than five
persons in towns of $500 or less from
the retail code and Unemployment
agreements. Our experience shows that
the amount of Unemployment and wage
increase in these establishments is not
enough to Offset the hardship entailed.
He is asking those who can do so to
continue under the former rule With
all who do, the Blue Eagle remains. BY
all the others the Blue Eagle with the
exemption chevron may be displayed
This should relieve the farmer of retail
nark-ups due to increased expense.
Our experience also shows a wide
misinformation about the extent Of
wholesale and retail price increases.