Evening star., 1933-09-23
Officials Hope to Curb Spread
Between Living Costs and
Buying Power.
ROOSEVELT TO PREVENT
IMMEDIATE INITIATION
Johnson Resists Labor Demands
for Higher Wages and Shorter
Hours in New Codes.
By the Associated Press.

By the Associated Press
Governmental observers of Presi-
dent Roosevelt's program for national
recovery today find the chief threat 10
its success Il N. R. AS quickstep
ahead of the procession, while agri-
cultural price; follow behind and the
big cash-distributing public works
project remains nmping far in the
rear.
Men high in the emergency organi-
cations of the Government are saying
now that something must be done
soon to prevent such spread between
prices and purchasing power as might
again freeze trade and possibly unem-
ployment
What is happening, as they see it,
is that the rapid inclusion of indus
try and trade under codes which
bring higher labor costs, is increa5-
ing the purchasing power of too small
a share of population, making tco
small an inroad into the unemployed
army while at the same time making
necessary higher prices for the goods
which everybody, including the farmer,
IIluSL nave.
Against Imitation Now.
The President is represented by III
formed sources as determined that
currency imitation shall not be re-
sorted to for the present. He is con-
centrating on expanding credit and
Is studying approaches to capital aX-
penditures.
With public works slowed down be-
cause OF countless difficulties, Mr.. Roose-
velt's assistants have been looking at
possibilities not only of breaking
through this jam but of developing
spending by railroads and other big
users Of steel and heavy materials for
new equipment. But the central effort
is to get money flowing out from banks
directly or through Government aid and
expenditures.
Just as President Roosevelt is holdirc
back from currency imitation, Hugh S
Johnson is refusing labor urgings that
he require higher wages and shorter
working hours in industrial codes.
Johnson is represented as viewing the
long-rarge program of revising Ameri-
can industrial methods through the CO.
operative codes.
Plans Reconstruction.
Already he has set in motion a plan
for reconstruction OF the NJ R. A. into
lasting industrial control administra-
ton. Tentatively, he is projecting an
idea of placing key man as admins
traitor over each big group of related in
dustries The master Codes" which
now are being framed to include as
many as dozen or more miscellaneous
industries or trades, are just one step
in this consolidation.
johnson is reported to believe N. r.
AS present hold on the country's busi-
ness is firm, but is troubled by the
growing friction between capital and
union labor
The crux of the battle is section Ia
of the industrial law-the declaration
that workers have the right to bargain
collectively through representatives OF
their own choosing and that their en-
ployers shall not seek to intimidate
them in any way.
Numerous attempts have been made
by industry to qualify that language by
merit clauses permitting the handling
of labor on an efficiency rather than
union basis. Labor has striven ener-
getically to make the section mean
eventually a closed shop-no union
card, no job.
Applies Equally to All.
The administration in past codes has
marched down the center line. If
man doesn't want to join union. noth-
ing shall compel him; if he does want
to, no one shall stop him.
Only last night President Roosevelt
in approving the momentous agreement
by which producers Of 70 per cent OF
Americas soft coal signed to deal with
the United Mine Workers after John L.
Lewis had signed up 100000 Of their
men, made the condition that all of its
terms should apply to non-union men
or members of other unions equally
with Lewis miners, and that the free
dom guaranteed by Ia should stay
untouched.
1t remained to be seen. in the light
of this act, whether Lewis would hold
the entire army of new recruits.
Some observers believed this offered
q first test of union power in sltua-
ton which presents the Government as
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