Evening star., 1933-10-19

cooperate 1Or the SuCCeSS VI Ilic Ao-
tional recovery program, Senator Robert
r. Wagner, chairman Of the National
Labor Board, last night in an address
In the National Radio Forum. arranged
by The Washington Star, expressed his
confidence in the ultimate success Of
N. r. A.
Text of Address.
The text Of Senator Wagner's speech
follows
-Four months ago the recovery pro-
kram was the last hope Of a dis
organized nation. Today it is the
chief pride of people who are sure
Of eventual success.
There remain, it is true, scattered
group of idle gossiperS who insist that
the program has failed. No accom-
plishments can ever silence those who
delight in encouragement and love
to belittle, or who seek to advance their
own selfish interests by dealing in mis-
representations. But the voices of dis
content are being submerged in the
rising tide of statistical evidence
gathered by the most sober and reliable
agencies in the country.
"Over 5000 900 people have been re-
employed and the volume Of wage pay
mentS has risen almost 20 per cent.
The conditions manifested by these
figures will soon extend to every corner
of the country Production is speeding
up, and people are buying more goods.
As a next step, savings should BE- le-
leased into the channels Of normal en-
terprise, thus completing the cycle OF
recovery. Under the inspiring leader
ship of President Roosevelt, confidence
has been restored.
Expressions of dissatisfaction are
not half SO dangerous as reckless and
premature statements that the battle
against the depression has been tri-
umphantly concluded. Over 10000
900 people are still unemployed. The
suffering of these men and women, dis
inherited by our economic system for
the fourth successive year-and some
for much longer-constitutes one OF
the profoundest tragedies in human
history. The heroic patience and con-
f1dence in our institutions which they
have displayed can not endure for
ever in the face of disaster. Their
morale must be preserved.
Relief Immediate Need.
in time, industry should re-employ
these people, but 100000 cannot be
absorbed in day or a month. Never
theless, the need for relief is immedi-
ate. 1t has been ep1ot.onally and in
tellectually shocking to read about
products being destroyed and crops
plQwed under while multitudes were in
Of bread. Two weeks ago, the
Surplus Corporation to purchase food
surplusses and distribute them among
stricken families. This agency has at
its disposal, the $330,000,000 remaining
Of the money appropriated for emer-
gency relief work by the last Congress
and it will raise additional funds by
processing taxes under the agricul-
tural adjustment act.
"Relief today is a billion -dollar-a-
year job. 1t will require additional
public funds, national, State and local.
It will require the continuance of all
organized charities and the noble self
sacrifices that have been made by
people of moderate means. I am sure
that these demands will be met
eve are now certain that the re-
covery program is carrying us out OF
the depression into which we were
plunged by the fatal policy of letting
things alone. However, this IS not the
only function of the program. We have
recovered from hard times in the past
without any program at all. But what
did we recover? A false brand of pros
perity containing within itself the seeds
of another more disastrous depression.
The remarkable feature of the new deal
Is that it does not stop with having
put out the fire. We are now going to
make the house freproof. We have
reached the reconstructive period and
1t is necessary to ask ourselves, What
are we trying to recover from? What
evils are we trying to reform|
Evils Long Standing.
"The evils which we must remedy
developed before the depression started.
During the 1920s we were clinging to
dogmas which had become age worn
with the passing of the frontier and
the development of modern industry.
The truths Of one era are the fallacles
of the next. Unregulated competition
was wasting natural resources, running
worthwhile business enterprise and ex-
plotting human labor. Ruthless indi-
vidualism was running wild in an age
when cooperation is the only thing
that can save us from destruction by
our own extraordinary power. We were
so entranced by beautiful slogans that
we did not see horrible actualities. The
public was unconscious Of the fact that
1000 900 people were unemployed and
that tWo-thirds of the entire Nation
were living below the comfort level.
1.-The events Of the last four years
have made us more realistic. Out OF
our sad experiences we have built an
economic program suited to twentieth
century life. We live in highly inte-
grated business civilization, requiring
new set of industrial principles. The
antitrust laws have been relaxed in
order to permit cooperation within in
dustry under governmental supervision.
In this manner the highest standards
which prevail in any trade will not be
corrupted by price cutters and exploit
ers of labor. In addition, business men
will be able to plan together for the
stabilization and success of industry.
Under the pressure of the recovery
drive codes have been formulated very
rapidly. Most Of these contain lists Of
But the great test of the program lies
ahead Will these principles be OBJ
served? Will new rules be devised to
meet new circumstances? Will the
united strength of business men be used
primarily to extract the last ounce Of
profit or to render the highest degree
Of service to the consumer? Will the
gains made by the elimination of COM
petitive wastes be pocketed by few
huge concerns or decrease the cost of
goods to the general public? These
problems must be solved by industrial
leaders in such way as to justify the
confidence which the recovery act I'M
poses.
Consumers Lose.
"The production of goods is the foun-
dation Of any economic system. There
has been great amount Of talk re-
Gently about the failure to adjust pro-
duction to consumption. Generally 1t
has been assumed that during normal
times industry produced goods to its
maximum capacity, which people could
not buy because of inadequate wages:
This is true, but 1t is only one side OF
the picture. The selfish quest for prof.
its has reduced wages and has served