Evening star., 1933-09-17
CONSUMER INCOME
BOOSTED SHARPLY
Empire State N. R. A. Prog
ress Below Expectations
Despite Gains.
BY THOMAS CONIPERE.

Special Dispatch to The Star.
NEW YORK, September 16.-The re-
covery movement has progressed suff-
ciently here to warrant an analysis of
its accomplishments and shortcomings
Although it has not functioned as
smoothly as the N R. A. leaders de-
sired, the plan in this area has speeded
unemployment. improved working con-
ditions and increased buying power for
hundreds of thousands Of laborerS, re-
suited in better business and an in
crease in virtually all prices, and made
possible the launching of necessary
public works
These gains have been offset some
what however. by the failure of many
employers to live up to the codes, by
many bitter labor disputes and the
fact that the movement has not given
very much direct aid to the white COL
lar workers. of whom there are hun
dredS of thousands in the metropolitan
area. Also, there is developing an
undercurrent of opposition to the N.
r A. among some influential business
men. This is due primarily to the
fact that business in general is on the
upgrade and that they would like to
free themselves from the Government
regulation involved in the N. R. A.
Enters Critical Phase.
1t is the opinion of unbiased observ-
erS that the N. r. A. in the New York
district is entering its most critical and
important phase A major part of the
work thus far has been in laying a
strong foundation from which the fight
against the depression could be waged.
1t included the signing of codes by en-
ployers and pledges by consumers. The
results of both of these undertakings
have been encouraging, since more than
365,000 firms in this N. R. A. district,
including nearly all of the large Or
gGniZationS, now are under the Blue
Eagle, and several million persons in
the metropolitan area alone have signed
the consumer pledges.
The N. R. A. leaders here also have
been unusually successful in arousing
enthusiastic support from the public
Proof of this was the gigantic dem
onstration last Wednesday. when more
than 25O,O00 persons marched on Fifth
avenue in observance of the Presi-
dents N. R. A. day. Gen. Hugh S.
johnson, who reviewed the parade, was
cheered enthusiastically at each ap-
pearance he made here Tuesday night
and Wednesday. There is no doubt
about what the general public in this
city thinks of the Presidents pro-
gram. The man in the street. the la
borer. the white collar man and most
women are for the N. r. A. almost
unanimously.
100000 Families Need Aid.
These advances made to date bring
the N. R. A. program here to what
might be called the stage of opera
ton. The time for flag waving and
ballyhoo virtually is over. Cold weather
will be here in a few weeks and there
still are nearly 100000 families de-
pendent on the city for relief. There
also is danger signal evident in the
fact that wages and general buying
power have not been keeping pace with
the rise in prices and there remains
the troublesome fact that many en-
ployerS who have signed the codes
have not hired additional workers and
have not raised pay. Unless these
chiseling employers are forced into line
it is likely that they will do great
damage to the entire recovery pro-
gram. So far. no real pressure has
been exerted to make them conform
with the agreements.
Evidence of better industrial condi-
tions throughout the State was con-
tanned in a report made public this
week by Elmer F. Andrews, industrial
commissioner, in which he stated that
there was a 81 per cent gain in fac
tory employment and 67 per cent
gain in total wage payments in this
State during the period from July Is
to August IS 1t was the fifth con-
secutive monthly rise in both employ
ment and pay rolls. and the advance
was the sharpest July-to- August up
turn recorded since 1914. Mr.. Andrews
said there had been a gain of 214 per
cent in employment and 24.4 per cent
in pay rolls in the States major in
dustries since a year ago.