Evening star., 1933-07-12
PREDICTS SUCCESS
FOR RECOVERY ACT
Secretary Roper Says Law
ENABLES People to Help
themselves.

The industrial recovery act will BE-
a success provided the people give the
administration OF the law the co-0Pcra-
on and support it deserves and without
which it ccu,>i rot succeed"
This message wcs given to the Nation
last night by Secretary Of Commerce
Rorer. in ali address IN the National
Radio Forum, arranged by TIE Star
and broadcast over WRC and coast
t9-cCast network of oher National
B-oadcasting Co. Stations.
Mr. Roper, who is in charge of the
industry control feature CT the act
predcatSd hIc lie in its efficiency be-
cause it "aU .0ri1ee means Whereby h.
people may lelp lemselveS-somethilg
they have NJ hitherto in this emergency
been able to do because of voritable
GCrjian knot Cf law. business prac-
tees and customs. and economic tradl-
ticns that literally shackled initiative
Discusses Fair Practices.
He discussed the fair practice codes
viii n industries are setting up, and
urged that these be formulated as quick
y as possible. emphasizing that our
vhCle organization stands ready to help
get any proposed code into shape for
submission
Complete Text Given.
The text of Secretary Roper's ad
dress follows:
Almost two centuries ago Samuel
Johnson said: The law is the last re-
suit of human wisdom acting upon
human experience fer the benefit Of
the public"
Although legislative enactments do
tn this lofty
ideal. I firmly believe the national in
dustrial recovery act attains it. Let
me repeat the definition-"The law is
the last result of human wisdom acting
upon human experience for the bcneflt
OF the public"
The national recovery act is the re-
suit achieved by many minds striving
ceaslessly and unselfshly. under in
spring and courageous Executive Lead
ership striving to boil out of human
experience, in the cruclble of human
wisdom a course of action that would
arrest the economic devastation being
wrought by fear and disorder, that
would restore courage, maintain order,
and provide means whereby our ma
tional resources and industrial machine
could be made to articulate for the
benefit of all our people.
The national recovery act represents
the Nations recognition OF a TACT Well
stated by the author of recent book.
This fact is that the breakdown of
prosperity appears to be our common
fault: the need of rehabilitating pros
perity is our common obligation.
Ny purpose tonight in discussing the
national recovery act is to make 1t
plain that every citizen can and must
play his part to make the admins
Of SIppncSflI1 The DOfPn-
tialities are in the law; its benefits, the
actualities to be derived from 1t. must
flow from its successful administration.
The question in millions of minds has
been Will this law accomplish the
results SO urgently needed?" The an
swcr to this question is, emphatically,
"Yesi." provided the people give the
administration of the law the CO.
operation and support it deserves and
without which it could not succeed l
shall state plainly why this Is true.
Basically the law authorizes means
whereby the people may help them
selves, something they have not hither-
to in this emergency been able to do
because of a veritable Gordian knot ri
laws. business practices and customs,
and economic traditions that literally
shackled initiative
1t is wrong to assume that under TINS
law the Federal Government will at
tempt, or that success would attend
such an attempt, to start up and
operate the industries of the country.
Cites Gordian Knot.
What the Government can do and
will do is to cut the Gordian knot of
unduly restrictive laws, practices, Gus
toms and traditions, to remove i'm
pediments in the way of recovery; take
the initiative in public works programs
of its own and assist States and NUM-
cipahties with similar programs. thus
directly relieving unemployment. stimu-
lating production and consumption, ana
leading. as well as pointing, to new
and better industrial plan and control.
1t is thus plain that the Federal
Government will furnish leadership, 1t
will furnish vast material aid in the
forms of construction work and credits,
and it will cooperate with labor and
capital to the end that both may be
gainfully employed, but the people
themselves must play their individual
and collective parts.
The purposes of the law are so clearly
In the interest of all that feel, if and
when they understand it. most people
Mill cooperate in putting it into opera
zion, and honestly and wisely admin
Sstering it.
One clear-visioned commentator has
well said that the law puts legitimate