Montana labor news., 1933-06-22

Observation-Disclosures a pfOlOnSeu
debate in the Senate, the National In
dustrial Recovery Act and Public
Works Bill finally got through both
Houses Of Congress with its major
provisions for industrial sterilization,
economic planning, labor protection,
and employment for millions of the
jobless practically the same as orig
inally passed by the House of Rep
resentatives and approved by the
American Federation of Labor and
the Railroad Br%otherhoods.
Underlying Principles.
The act provides for the establish
ment of "codes of fair competition" in
each industry, covering prices, wages,
hours of labor and general work ION
ditions.
The right Of the workers to organ
ize and bargain collectively without
interference of any sort from employ
ers is firmly established, and employ
ers are expressly prohibited from
compelling employees either to join
a company union or refrain from join
ing a bona fide labor organization as
the price Of a job.
Millions for Public Works.
AS an immediate job producer the
Act provides $4,000, OOO, 900 for public
works of various sorts with the work
week limited to thirty hours and the
employment of convict labor barred.
Gen. Hugh S. Johnson, appointed by
President Roosevelt to administer the
Act, estimates that jobs for around
100000 workers will be provided
within the near future.
Wagner Explains Measure.
A large amount of credit for the
law must be given to Senator Robert
F. Wagner of New York. He drafted
the bill as originally introduced, and
piloted it safely through the stormy
seas of parliamentary consideration.
When the measure was finally APP
proved by Congress, the New York
Senator made a comprehensive state
ment regarding the principles and
purpose Of the Act. He said, in part:
Right to Earn a Living.
"The single objective of the bill is
to give every deserving person a per-
manent opportunity to earn a COM
Portable living.
SIN order to accomplish this pur-
pose we have enacted twentieth CEN
fury law to help solve twentieth GEN.
fury social and economic problems.
81 believe that the depression oc-
Cured and has been unduly prolonged
because we were trying to meet new
issues with outworn remedies, with
devices that served well in their day,
but could not last forever"
Fair Competition Codes.
To-day we have learned that en-
forced planlessness disorganizes and
even wrecks trade and commerce.
"The new law will permit members
of any trade or industry to formulate
a code Of fair competition, including
a list of the practices and methods
which, in the judgment of business
men, will be most likely to establish
industrial order and restore employ
ment.
when such a code gains the APP
prevail of the President of the United
States, it will become binding upon
the entire trade or industry, and ac-
ton in compliance with its terms will
be exempted from the prohibitions of
the antitrust laws"
Consumers Are Protected.
There will be no danger of bust
ness men using the opportunities of
united strength in such a way as to
Cypress the consumer or the competit-
or.
"No code will be approved by the
President until those who propose it
prove that they are truly representa-
tive Of the trade or industry for which
they speak.
at must be proved also that the
code will neither tend to promote
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