Evening star., 1933-08-27

WIN MIS-. mary hartman RumSey,
chairman of the board
He diSclaimed any personal reason
for quitting. however, but did strongly
emphasize the idea that he expected
the N. R. A. to collapse unless new and
adequate measures were taken to pro-
tect the consumer from undue price in
creases.
Consumer Ordeal Forecast.
Gen. johnson insists that Prof. Og-
burns ideas are being carried out. The
fact is. nevertheless, there is little in
dication the present N. r. A. organiza-
ton is going to safeguard the masses
of buyers and there is general eXpecta-
ton here of widespread and large price
increases as the result both OF the N
r. A. and the agricultural adjustment
act. What attitude the consumer is
going to take as to these increases Is
guess Opinions differ whether the
masses of consumers will dig deeper into
their pockets and buy regardless OF
higher prices or whether they will cur
tail their buying whether the increased
payments of wages will catch up with
the increase in prices Of commodities
whether the consumers as whole are
in shape to expend that vast sum,
which at lowest would be several bill
lions and which 1t will be necessary
to expend If the tide Of depression is
to be rolled back according to the N.
R. A. method of procedure.
Mutterings of trouble can be heard
from various directions. Sooner or
later a case is expected to go TO the
courts which will test the conStltu-
tional questions involved in the indus
trial control plan. The recent decision
Of Justice Joseph w. Cox of the District
of Columbia Supreme Court. in which
he denied application of certain Texas
/ oil producers for an order restraining
Secretary Of Interior Harold L. Ickes
I from enforcing orders prohibiting the
interstate shipment of oil produced in
violation Of State conservation regula-
tions. was not a decision involving the
constitutionality of the industrial con-
/ troll program.
That decision turned on the power
/ of the oil interests to enJoln the Secre-
/ tary of the Interior. The court held the
| Secretary was acting directly for the
President in this instance and therefore
could not be enjoined or restrained.
While Justice Cox used language lndl-
eating his view that the courts would
be slow to declare the recovery act un-
constitutional in view of the emergency
this proposition, in fact. Is still lett
wide open and almost daily there Is
talk of legal battle which Will nght
the issues involved through the lower
courts and the Supreme Court OF the
United States.
Court Test Expected.
That powerful interests have some
of the foremost lawyers OF the coun-
try studying deeply into the possloln-
ties of court action Is we'll understood.
and it does not seem possible that
either the N R. A. or the A. A. A.. as
the Agricultural Adjustment Admins
tration is called. can avoid being passed
on bv the Supreme Court Of the United
States.
Just at this time. however, the in
dications are that he N. r. A. will haze
its fate determined by other than legal
factors. True if the highest court
should hold the industrial control re-
gime unconstitutional that would for
the time, at least, settle the issue. But
1t seems likely to be many months be
fore the Supreme Court passes finally
on the merits of the constitutional
questions. 1t seems probable that 1t
will be known before that time whether
the recovery plan with the N. r. A. as
its chief feature, is going to succeed
or fall as a proposition OF economies
and public policy.
If it is clearly successful. it is OBJ
vious the highest court, as we'll as the
lower courts. will be unwilling to strike
it down and is likely either to refuse
to do so or greatly to delay decision.
II it is failure for reasons other than
legal. it will make little practical diff
ference for immediate purposes-though
of great importance in the long run
what the Supreme Court decides.
Up to this time, the figures for in
dustrial production are much ahead OF
those relating to employment. wages,
consumption of products and sales.
The bearing Of this fact on the situa
ton cannot be overlooked. Without
doubt. it Is giving the N. r. A. chief
tains much concern.
Farmers Voice Fears.
One of the most serious phases OF
the industrial control problem relates
to the attitude of the farmers. 1t Is
beyond dispute that the millions OF
farmers. who are consumers OF indus
trial products as we'll as producers OF
farm commodities are concerned over
the prospective rise in industrial prices.
They are asking whether the pros
pective benefits to them Of the A. A. A.
are going to be more than offset by the
increase in prices under the N. r. A.
Some of the farm leaders are not
cry program openly but they are de-
manding that Secretary of Agriculture
Wallace speed up increases in farm
prices. especially in live stock. and are
asserting that otherwise there is likely
to be something like a revolt in many
of the farm areas against the indus
trial control plans and the increases
in the prices Of what the formers have
to buy.
The attitude of the farmers makes
it obvious that 1t is essential for the
N, r. A. as well as the A. A. A. to keep
a sharp and constant lookout for the
consumers and their interests. Up to
date. as generally viewed here, the
A. A. A. has been the more active of
the two organizations in seeking to pro-
tect the consumer At least in the pre-
vention Of excessive increases in bread
prices. Secretary Wallace and his or
ganization have been on the alert with
a large degree of initial success.
Clashing views Of labor and capital,
efforts of some champions of labor to
settle at once certain phases Of labor
problems which might well be worked
out gradually. unwillingness of power
full industrial interests to bow to re-
strictions from washington or to give
up advantages over less powerful or
less eficient rivals-these and numer-
GUS other obstacles stand out in the
industrial control highway. Indications
are that the month Of September, when
the expectation Is that the Blue Eagle
will be in full sweep from the Atlantic
TO the Pacific. will shed a much clearer
light than anything which has hap-
pened thus far on Just what is going
tn be the result.
Jewish Intellectuals
Urged to Teach Chinese