Evening star., 1933-08-22
JOHNSON DEMANDS
PRICE RESISTANCE
Retailers at Hearing Told
U. S. Will Not Tolerate
Cheating.
Continued From First Page.)

law like this on ballyhoo and hooey,'
johnson said. The purpose now Is to
try to get as wide measure Of CO.
operation as possible After that has
been done-and it is almost over now
then we are going to see to those who
are doing the cheating.
THE purpose of this act was to en-
able all trades and industries to rid
themselves of those chiseling practices
which have been running through your
industries You can decree that ruth
less competition and price-cutting is
to 60.
U. S. Not in Business.
THAT. you may be sure, doesn't
mean that the Government is in busi-
ness"
In opening the hearing, Deputy Ad-
ministrator Whiteside said:
This is the first public hearing on
trade, as distinguished from industry
which has ever been held in the United
States.
The decision which will be made as
a result of this hearing will affect not
only the 429,121 storekeepers whose in
vestment is less than $500 and whose
stores are the centers of the commu-
nity life in thousands of villages, but
those great department stores which
are cities within themselves in metro
politan centers.
"All told. 1,499, ,720 retail concerns
and more than 5,000000 wage earners
will be directly or indirectly affected
as the result of this inquiry.
we open this hearing with the full
consciousness of the fact that the code
or codes for the retail trade which will
ultimately be approved will have pro.
found effect upon the economic and
social life Of every man. woman and
child in the United States"
The code was presented and ap-
proved by:
The National Retail Furniture Asso-
citation, the National Retail Hardware
Association, the National Retail Dry
Goods Association, the Mail Order AS
sociation, the National Association OF
Clothiers and Furnishers and the Shoe
Retailers Association.
Its chief proposals follow:
n 4f-uOuI WOlh WSCh, CASCPe M
48-hour week at peak periods. and ex-
cepting those earning more than $50 a
week. registered pharmacists and other
professional persons.
That a store must keep open for 81
hours of operation unless 1t was oper-
ating less than that prior to July /,
1888
Maximum Hour Scale.
Maximum hours in towns under TO-
900 Except where the towns are not
part of a larger trade area) set at 48
hours for employees.
Wages-Cities over 100000 Cby 1890
census), $14 a week; 100. 900 to SOC, 900
sl3: 10000 to 100000 $l2. Zone dol
lar less per week in South) Wages to
be increased 20 per cent in towns be-
tween $500 and 10000. except that
wages are not required to be over sll,
but must be over $40.
Employees between 16 and 18, 81 less
than scale for first IL months, 81 less
for second II months: apprentices over
l8. 81 less for first IL months-except
that minimum eight to juniors or ap-
prentices shall not be less than $40.
Present wages not to be reduced even
though hours may be.
Is made necessary by actual increases
in cost.
No individual shall sell goods at re-
tail at less than the net invoice de-
livered cost or current market delivered
cost, whichever is the lower, plus II
per cent to insure that labor costs shall
be at least partially covered. this moi
to prevent bona fide seasonal sales o,
clearances of perishable or damaged
goods.
The code forbids advertising which
claims continuing policy of generally
underselling competitors. 1t also for.
bids the purchase of prison made good!
from the date of the code or their salt
after December 81. 1888
Food and Grocery Code.
A code for food and grocery store!
will be taken up soon at the Agricultural
Adjustment Administration, while the
retail drug agreement hearing will be
started Friday by the N. r. A.
Even before the latter starts. fina
preparations will be made for next
weeks Unemployment drive Thai
movement, with a furry of National
and local speechmaking. will carry for
ward an intensive door-to-door canvass
Of stores and homes to enlist every last
COLiSuulCi dho w dcSui
that those who now display the Blue
Eagle comply with the agreement OIL
surrender the badge of cooperation.
New Division Set Up.
A new division has been set up in
formally at the recovery offices tt
handle the increased number of re-
quests by code signing manufacturer.
for tariff and embargo protection
against cheap foreign imports.
Franklin o. Billings, formerly as
sistant director of valuations in tht
New York Customs Office. was placee
in charge of the work He will study
the manufacturers applications made
under section of the industrial con.
troll law providing for protection te
those who raise their own costs ir
conformity with the recovery objective
However Billings said that unit
President Roosevelt officially delegated
to the new agency the authority fol
tariff action conferred upon him by the
industrial law. the new unit would
have no power to act
Just how soon the President intends
to take action on this question was
not indicated
Under the tariff section of the in
dustrial law. President Roosevelt is au-
thorized to have the Tariff Commission
either on his own motion or upon re-
quest from either a trade or labor or
A SERIES OF FRIENDLY n