Western news and the Libby times. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1920-1933, 1933-06-01

p.oaueTt armful of authority
In his broad program
TO nut the nations business back Oh
its feet. In the legislation to encour.
age national recovery and provide for
construction of public works as
stimuant to the economic machinery,
the President asked for authority to
use In his discretion second In amount
only to that accorded him In the In
fatlon provisions of the farm relief
program.
1t might be assumed that the dele
CATION OF so much power to the Pres
ident would create distrust among
the people of the nation, and that
probably would be the result In any
country save our own. Here, however.
It appears that the great masses OF
the people would rather have that
power vested In Mr.. Roosevelt than
In the 500-odd representatives of
their own selection who sit In the
two houses of congress. find In my
rounds In Washington that the opinion
OF observers Is virtually unanimous.
Their information comes largely from
black home" as the politicians say
and so everybody seems to believe the
President Is more capable OF doing
things In this crisis than congress, ex.
cept congress. | might add par
roc
granted so much Is because individual.
~ and collectively 1t Is afraid to go
against the wishes of man who has
caught the Imagination OF the cleo
torate as President Roosevelt has
done.
| Although the legislation accords the
| President the sweeping powers only
| for two years, his rights during that
| time to form a partnership with com.
merce and Industry are almost limit
less, albeit they depend upon volnn-
tary cooperation b. commerce and
Industry to O certain extent. But by
the system of licensing which Is set
up, 1t Is made to appear without much
analysis that business had better co.
operate or else.
In the first Instance, all the long,
standing antitrust laws are abrogated
kicked out of the window SO to speak
Upon the application OF any associ
alton that is representative of trade
or group or business, the President L
empowered to arrange with That or
ganization and its individual members
for code of rules governing Its com
| petition. In other words, he rs EN-
powered to say in substance tina
prices may be set high enough to af
ford all OF them a reasonable return
of profit. II Is obvious, OF course. !
there Is fair return factories vii
open and normal channels OF trade
will begin to flow. That means EN-
| ployment. and employment means ere
alton of buying power. But the agree
ment must be within the bounds O
reason or the President will not &C
cept 1t.
There are only two restrictions {
the Presidents power In this direc
ton. Let me quot
TU0 them. The Pres
Restrictions dent may agree
those codes of CON
petition II he finds I'D that such as
sociations or groups impose no Ii
equitable restrictions on admission t
membership and are truly represent
alive OF such trades or industries 0
subdivisions thereof. and ~ that sue
code or codes are not designed to prt
mote monopolies or to eliminate Q
Cypress small enterprises and will nc
onerate to discriminate against them.
II is the plain purpose OF that pr
vision to see that such things as chat
stores do not swallow up the corne
grocery and that great corporatio
NAV not drive lesser ones out OF bus
ness.
Thus. we see the government TO
tering a program that Is designed
assure for business living wage an
in providing that, 1t Is the hope OF tt
President that there will be nvir
] wage for workers, too. To see thu
his policies are carried out and TIL
the code Is observed. the Presidel
has the right to revoke licenses whit
he has given with his approval or Il
competition agreements or codes.
But the program Is not all a bt
of roses for business. The Preside
NAV. as condition Of his approx
OF tho codes, Impose such condition
Including requirements for the ma
,ng OF reports and the keeping of O
counts) for the protection OF consul
ers. competitors, employees and OF
ers'' as he may deem necessary 10 9
nublIc interest That provision Is
touchy spot In effect, OF course, t
President will take little part In q
mInlstration of the law. 1t will
done by those to whom ne has CIV
! the administrative duty. And 1t ne
or has been and probably never W
be that any group Of government 0
c,a1s see things the same way. Ct
seouently, one hears many predlctio
that commerce and industry will
making reports In such detail and
roh numbers. and Investigations "