Evening star., 1933-08-07

Probably no question nowadays is be-
ing asked more often or eagerly by Mr.
and Mrs. Average Man than when the
benefits Of the national recovery pro-
gram are really going to be felt
throughout the country. One guess is
about as good as another. Some author
tiles say that the turn in the tide ought
to be pretty visible and general by Oc-
tober l. Others think that's much too
early, and that Christmas is a far more
conservative date to look forward TO-.
Gen. johnson remains confident that
as far as Unemployment is concerned,
Labor day will see mighty change for
the better. and, if his rosy hopes Of
millions back at work by that time are
realized, bulgng pay rolls should usher
in the new times before many more
weeks are past. Another common in
quiry in Washington and elsewhere is
whether Uncle Sam is going back to
former conditions when the recovery
program has done its work and times
are better, or whether Gen. johnson is
planning to stabilize the N R. A. for
the indefinite future. The recovery
administrator dealt with that PROPOSE
ton frankly at his most recent press
| conference He said that people,
curiosity on the subject is wholly justi-
lltu we We SOI IWO yedlS W Ily ILle
thing out" he explains. land, Of course,
from theoretical conjecture and down
to actual experience. If the scheme is
good, it lives If it's bad, it will die" "
Two things which are out forever. john
son is certain, are child labor and
the sweat shop.
How Herbert Hoover as Secretary OF
Commerce in 1925 missed his chance to
initiate the establishment Of Govern
ment regulation of industry by code
along N. r. A. lines has just been re-
called to this observer by an insider of
those days The boom years were still
on, but the coal industry was sick. An
economist of the House Of Rep
resentatives sought Secretary Hoovers S
support Of code whereby operators and
miners, under Government supervision,
would bury their differences and pool
their interests. At first Hoover thought
we'll Of the project, but when he ap-
peared at hearings Of the House Inter-
state and Foreign Commerce Commit
soundness of the idea, and it subse-
quently fell by the wayside. The pro-
posal contemplated letting the coal op-
orators federate under relaxation OF
the antitrust laws, Just as industry Is
now permitted to do by the N. r. A.
+
w. Jett Lauck, well known Washing
ton economist, produced a book as long
ago as 1928 entitled 1.-THE Industrial
Code" which In many respects. espe-
cially as far as labor conditions are con-
cerned, was q prophetic forerunner OF
what is happening right now. Lauck
projected what he called "a bill OF
rights" for labor, such as Is broadly
vouchsafed the country's workers under
section Z Of the N. r. A.
i \ X
There's nothing new under the sun.
Ages before the Coolidge or the Douglas
era and as long ago as George Washing
tons first administration Federal econ
omy was the rigid order of the day. To
prove 1t, G. r. Putnam. commissioner
Of lighthouses, has framed over his desk
in the Department Of Commerce con-
tract for furnishing mooring chain Tor
q floating beacon In Delaware Bay, on
which Is the following Endorsement, In
Washington's own handwriting: April
| 81, 1898. Approved, SO far as 1t respects
the new chain; but is there an entire
loss of the old one? g. Washington"
Cuba's Ambassador In Washington,
Senor Don Oscar B. Cintas, was, prior
to this. his first diplomatic post, prom
inently identified with the former
business activities Of Secretary of the
Treasury William H. Woodin Fol
nearly IL years Senor Cintas was vice
president of Mr.. Woodin's American
| Car & Foundry Co. and its subsidiary
the American Locomotive Co., in execu-
tive charge of their respective foreign
activities. Senor Cintas. who looks
business man, had his early training
| in England and was first engaged IL
this country as Q contractor. He bringz
. correspondingly practical background
| to the current problem Of Cuban -AIperi-
can trade relations. Incidentally, aeuol