Evening star., 1933-09-21
JOHNSON STUDIES
REVISION or CODES
Delays Decision on Demands
of Merchants for Minimum
Price Levels.
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coal code were being worked out today
also. with the National Labor Board
heads assisting negotiators OF union
contracts for the Appalachian nieioS
which had stalled again on q minor
wage question.
and Donald Richberg, general counsel,
worked upon wage rates for the Western
Kentucky fields where operators claim
they cannot stand projected increases.
Negotiations over similar situation IN
Alabama were awaiting conference OF
operators in the field.
Legal Fight Secuted.
Of1cials said they had no fear that
either groups would attempt q legal
fight against the code and that they
would accept the best terms the admin
istration could evolve.
A code for anthracite was looked Tor
by the end of the week or early IN the
next.
Attacks Labor Leaders.
The Federation of Labor today was
charged by an industrial leader with
efforts to secure control of labor, which
already were having the effect OF de-
stroying the N. r. A. program.
Robert L. Lund president Of the Ma
tional Association of Manufacturers,
made the assertion in reply to state
ment by Green asSailing some employ
ers for forming company unions.
This employer-lab interchange &C
centuated anew the differences which
have prevailed between capital and
organized workers under the N. II. A.
It conceded with a further demand from
the boot and shoe industry for a merit
clause permitting employers to handle
labor on an efficiency rather than union
aff1liation basis.
johnson was silent on these latest
labor Developments, but President
Roosevelt has rejected definitely any
code Interpretation Of the recovery laws
collective bargaining provision.
Lund's statement said labor condi-
tions in plants objected to by Green
"are the best in the country" He
added:
None of the labor difficulties which
are so seriously Obstructing the recovery
program have arisen from such organ
izations,, On the other hand, the efforts
of the American Federation of Labor
and the other organizations which CO.
operate with it to secure control Of
labor have proven the most serious
obstacle to the attainment Of the objec-
tives of the recovery act
Perhaps the control of this situation
does not lie entirely with Mr. Green
and the leaders associated with him.
They have started agitation which per-
haps they wiz not be able to guide. > :
Sees Great Danger.
sThis situation is fraught with great
danger, because there IS reason to fear
that these activities may, IN q large
degree, destroy the recovery program.
In fact, they are already having this
effect"
The codes covering the general retail
trade and drug stores were made pub
lie yesterday by Arthur D. Wmteslde,
deputy administrator.
One provision would require mer-
chants to keep minimum prices. at 1Q
per cent above the wholesale delivered
charges, except for special sales. This
section in the master code for general
of retail trade: Department, furniture,
general merchandise, hardware. limited
price variety, mail order, mems cloth
ing, music, shoe and women's speciality
stores.
The drug code was generally the
same as the master code for retailers,
but contained an additional price con-
troll provision. This would prevent sale
of standard, trade-marked drug prod
ucts whose retail prices are advertised
to the public or indicated on the goods
at discount greater than 81 per cent
from such declared retail prices.
However, where goods have been on
the shelves some time, the druggist may
offer them back to the wholesaler at
the original price and if not taken may
treat them as clearance merchandise. /"
Views Are Set Forth.
The views of the shoe industry, be-
hind which others were reported rally
ing, were set forth in the following
memorandum:
1.-The act clearly grants the rights
OF collective bargaining to the employees.
These protective provisions are express
1y set forth in the code.
"But the picture is not complete with
out clear portrayal also of those
rights Of the employer which are guar
anteed by law and which were not re-
pealed by the recovery act.
Those rights are not expressly set
forth or even mentioned in the wording
Of the act, nevertheless they remain a
part of the law of the land. Under the
law, the employer has ever had the
right to select, retain and advance his
employees for individual merit.
1.-The industrial recovery act did not
repeal this legal right of the employer.
To write into the code those provisions
of the law defining the rights of the
employe and omit those defining the
rights of the employer will promote
misunderstanding and breed industrial
strife.
Industrial strife already has re-
suited from the fact the workers have
seen only that part of the picture in
which their rights are printed in vivid
Language, while the other part of the
picture has not been understood by
them"