Evening star., 1933-11-26
Public to Have Advocate
AT Profiteering Hearings
BY HARDEN COLFAX.

At the public hearings set for Decem-
Ger II, IN connection with she inVestiga-
ton Of prohteering under codes, or the
Presidents unemployment agreement,
the consumer will have a Well-informed
advocate in the Consumers Advisory
Board, which is gathering data about
how the consumer is being affected
under N. r. A. codes.
The consumers Advisory Board has
been receiving from consumers all over
the country complaints of violations of
codes and regulations. 1t is classifying
these and analyzing them for the use
OF Its code advisers. Not only does 1t
act as the peoples representative at the
code hearings. but it is also performing
the increasingly useful function Of edu-
eating the general public as to its rights
and how it may proceed when it be-
Heves these rights are being COM
promised.
Reasonable prices. Gen. johnson has
said, are the tonic to stimulate large
volume Of sales. Runaway prices are
poison to kill trade" Therefore, the
Consumers Advisory Board is not only
should be a distinct aid to legitimate
business.
The public hearings beginning Decem-
Der II, according to the division ad-
mlnistrator. Arthur D. Whiteside who
will conduct them. will be purely a
tact-finding inquiry at which all inter-
eSted parties will be given ample OPP
portunity for the preparation and pres
entation of any facts bearing on the
subject" The hearings will be limited
to industries and trades operating under
National Recovery Administration codes
and will not concern themselves with
any inquiry into the prices of foods and
toodStuffs, agricultural commodities, or
other products under the Jurisdiction of
the Agricultural Adjustment Admins
tration.
Complaints by consumers against re-
tallerS. and in many cases by retailers
against manufacturers, charged with
unJustifiable price increases and failure
tc comply with the codes or with the
PRESIDENTS unemployment agreement
nave already been received from all over
the country. When complaints of un-
Warranted price increases or other vio-
latlons of the codes or regulations seem
TO be justified, the code authority of
the industry or trade and the person
or nrm involved will be notified and
gwen an opportunity to present its side
OF the case.
The function of the Consumers Ad-
vlsory Board is to see that attainment
OF balance between industry and labor
ooeS not involve hardship to the buying
public Its first and chief concern is
10 protest against any suggestions
which, in its judgment tend to boost
prices unfairly, to subsidize monopolies,
or lower quality standards of business"
These challenges to proposed code pro-
visions, moreover, are made by the Con-
Sumers' Advisory Board. mot cs ad-
versary OF either labor or industry. but
solely from conviction that no gains
can be permanently held if the con-
sumer is hurt in the process.
The board aims at a long range pro-
gram of consumer education 1t believes
that the consumer is not Sufficiently
awake to the industrial processes which
determine price and quality in the
goods he buys nor to the means by
which better standards and more eco
nomlcal distribution can be attained"
since TINS Is an innovation in Gov
ment, this attempt to look after the
interests OF the consumer, the board has
had to chart new territory. At all code
hearings the boards representatives are
ready 10 make statements of its poll
cles- Moreover, the board mot only
asks that public participation be guar
anteed IN future code administrations.
put also seeks to have approved codes
amended to include it,"
Copyright 1881