Evening star., 1933-05-03
LEADERS DISCUSS
BUSINESS REFORMS
u. S. Chamber of Commerce
Hears Views on Federal
Control of Trade.
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tnsuring greater safety for investor,
and laws to stimulate import and ex.
port business ''all have their place II
the great enterprise of reconstruction
upon which we are now engaged"
Never in the history of the Nation,
he said In discussing the plans of Presi.
dent Roosevelt's administration, has ar
administration more courageously ano
fairly attempted to deal with so many
and far-reaching problems"
Some mistakes undoubtedly will bt
made, he said. but I'VE shall learn BY
experiment" and what we do is no,
irrevocable. We cannot afford no
TO try, for fear that We shall make q
miSstep and not to strike out because
the road to recovery is not clearly
marked"
Swope said the public attitude anc
al EVIDENCES OF legislation indicated Il
industry could move toward seh-im-
posed regulation, it would be permitted
10 demonstrate what it could do.
Says Action Is Inevitable.
IF industry does not see its oppor.
tunity and embrace it, it will be done
from without" he said.
The alternative is not shall It be
done, but by whom shall it be done.
Shall it be done by the Government
with its necessarily more rigid proce-
dure and, therefore, less efficiency, or
shall it be done by industry itself, which
knows its problems intimately, taking
the initiative and leadership. with the
cooperation Of the Government to see
that the public interest is protected? o.
He proposed that each trade associa-
ton or Chamber of Commerce require
that its membership subscribe to q
code Of ethics governing fair competi-
tlon." that they adopt a uniform sys-
tenn Of cost accounting and uniform
periodical reports to the Federal Gov
eminent and their stockholders, that
the members of each association adopt
cooperative plans for the protection OF
their employees, that each association
endeavor to stabilize employment BY
requiring that each member either give
assurance of employment or build ur
reserves for periods Of unemployment, tc
be contributed to by both employe and
employer.
Favors Federal Approval
This done, Swope said, the associa.
ton would ask the Government fol
recognition Of its organization and tina,
the members might agree on the CO.
ordination Of production and consump.
ton with an opportunity for the Gov.
ernment to review the acts and agree.
ments Of association members.
Trade associations developed alons
such lines, under constructive leader.
ship, would be q real force in shapin5
industry to the service of the public
be In advance Of the demands Of public
opinion, II necessary ask for Legislation
on recalcitrant minorities and promot,
consumption ON fair and reasonabl,
lines" he said.
IL, in these various national trade
associations the public interest Is recog.
nlzed. then by grouping them together
we might some day look forward to s
national economic council, which car
interpret developments and trends anc
lay out policies along the lines of exper.
ience and with some imagination ans
courage for the future"
Cbjecting to the proposal of Secre.
tary of Labor Perkins for regulation ol
industry by means Of governmental
boards, Hartman asserted it ''savors o
autocracy and bureaucracy"
Hartman, chairman of the board OF
the New England Power Association
characterized himself as more thar
sympathetic" with the objectives Of Mis-.
Perkins, and Senator Black, Democrat
Of Alabama, author of the pending 80.
hour work-week bill, who, he said, were
seeking to bring about Increased EN-.
ployment with fair earnings for var.ou.
classes OF workers, fair prices for thu
essentials Of life and fair hours o.
work"
Favors Self Regulation.
He emphasized, however, his belle,
that these aims could be realized with.
out taking the steps they advocate, re.
peattng the argument he advanced re-
Gently before the House Labor Commit.
tee, which provides, in effect, for self
regulation for industry, acting In con
cert with labor, under Government SUI
pervision.
'"Those who are best equipped to solv,
the problems of industry are those wht
are engaged in it, achieving their col
lective purposes through their trad
associations" Mr.. Hartman declared.
"I am confident that If trade associa
tions, in conference with labor and tn
Government, were permitted to promul
gate fair rules for industry-coverinl
limitation Of hours Of operation, mini
mum pay for employees, minimum price
for standard products, and the Settinl
up Of reserves for accident sickness ant
old age-the serious economic problem
which confront us would soon vanish
Under our present constitutional limita
tions, such industrial rules and regula
tions cannot apply to all our workers
but Congress has undisputed coutrc
of interstate commerce and, If fai
trade rules are established for industrie
that make and distribute the good
entering into interstate commerce, sucl
regulations will affect 50 large pro
portion Of the employees in any State
that the States viii soon be forced b
public sentiment to enact similar law
to govern conditions Of purely tntra
State business. The objectives to
obtained by Mis- Perkins' bill and tn
trade practice bill ere identical, but on
preserves American principles and Amer
ican traditions. The other savors 9
autocracy and bureaucracy"
Hartman declared that many indus
tIlallSto d1E VI tkIc UCAlcl t1&8t UlIC p1u
vision In the Administration fam
measure will rebound greatly to thei
benefit. This would authorize the Sec
retary of Agriculture to make contract
with the professors Of farm commodi
ties whereby. upon agreement to pa
what the Secretary considers q fa1
price for such commodities, the proc
essors wi1l be given the right to sta
bflize their business, even to the exter
Of establishing minimum pgicas yhtc