Evening star., 1933-06-18
The Road to Recovery.

The Road to Recovery.
President Roosevelt's strong appeal to
industry, to labor and to the whole Ma
ton to give the recovery program, as
embodied In the industry recovery and
public works act, a chance to operate
will be read by all Americans with the
keenest interest and sympathy. This,
IL ever, Is time for cooperation. II
selfish interest can be laid aside, the
interests of the whole people, employer
and employe alike, VIII move forward.
The first end to be attained is re-
employment. With unemployment will
come wider purchasing power and a
power to consume the products of farm
and factory.
The Chief Executive did not let the
ink grow dry on his signature OF the
recovery bill before he launched his
orders setting the machinery in opera
ton. For weeks the President and his
aides have been preparing. 1t is now up
to industry and labor, as well as to the
Government, to 60 forward in its drive
for improvement.
To, industry the new law gives the
hours Of labor, wages, production, prices,
etc. 1t has been the plant of industry,
as the President pointed out in his
appeal for support in carrying cut the
recovery act, that because of unre-
strained competition, the inability to
unite, industry has been hampered in
doing things for labor and for the
people. The new law changes all this.
With the approval of the Government,
codes are to be established and through
the licensing clause of the act are to be
enforced. Already a number Of the in
dustries and industrial groups have
prepared such codes and within a COM
paratively brief time they will be in
operation. They look, and necessarily
must look, to increases in wages and
to decreases in hours of employment.
The President has wisely pointed out
that the increases in prices of COM
riodities must lag somewhat at first
and must not outstrip increases in en-
plcyment and wages CT else the whole
plan will fall. The gains to the pro-
ducers should come from the immediate
development Of much larger market for
their products, with workers re-em-
pioyed.
To the workers the President has
issued a warning that the new recovery
act ''is not law to foment discord and
it will not be executed as such" He has
pointed to the new charter of rights
given labor-the declaration of free
dom to organize-under the law But
the President has called upcn labor for
the utmost cooperation at this critical
time. The workers must, he insists,
stand with the industries in the for
ward march
The recovery act has two main func-
tions. 1t undertakes to aid the private
industry to get upon its feet again and
It casts the great purchasing and con-
suming power of Government itself into
the scales to create more employment,
to create more production and more
consumption. The operations of the
Government are intended to give stin-
ulus and encouragement to private in
dustry. For it is to private industry
that the Government must go for all its
materials and it is to the great group
Of workers-millions Of them now I'M
employed-that it must turn for the
labor to put into operation the projects
which are estimated to cost $1,000, ,o0o,-
600. The President has promised that
this huge sum CT the peoples money
shall not be thrown away on useless
projects. After all, the only source of
Government revenue is the pocketbook
Of the people, tapped through Federal
taxation. 1t is conceivable that once
the ball Is started rolling, and industry
stages a comeback, the greater part of
this huge sum of money may not be
expended. That is a problem which
must be met by the administration. At
present it is the purpose of the Presi-
dent and the men he mas chosen to car
~ forward this public works program to
get as many men to work and as speed
lily as possible.
The recovery act is necessarily great
experiment. 1t is based upon desire
to give employment and to restore bust
ness and to make America again a
great market for American products. 1t
is the most stupendous and ambitious
project ever tried TO overcome great
depression. The President has warned
the people that they must move for
ward together If they are to succeed in
this effort. If they are to set their feet