Evening star., 1933-10-13
TRADE COMMISSION
MAY Do 'POL|C|NG' {
Expected to Be Enforcing
Agency of N. R. A.
Activities.
By the Associated Press.

By the Associated Press.
Visions of the Federal Trade Com
mission becoming the police force" of
N. R. A. have been stimulated here by
President Roosevelt's fight to. oust
William E. Humphrey, old guard Re-
publican, from membership.
Previously, the commissions i'm
ments of the new deal as they sped
the recovery program, and for a time
iL was threatened with being absorbed
by some other governmental depart
ment.
The Presidents statement that
Humphrey and he did not see eye-to-
eye in many things and the extreme
measure he took to remove him, indi-
Gates some big role must be ahead for
the commission. Mr.. Roosevelt was
willing = to risk a court fight with
Humphrey just to assure that the body
reflected his own views.
Plenty of Work Seen.
1t is agreed that lot of policing
will have to be done under the Blue
MISUNDERSTANDING caeS of alleged un-
fair competition, of code violations ana
tnfractions of the antitrust laws.
Gen. Hugh johnson has said hs
didn't expect to have any policemen"
in his own organization If he cou-i
avoid it.
Il think such duties should be turned
ever to the Federal Trade Commission,
as it is their job" he said.
The industrial recovery act wh;-iil
set up the N. r. A. provides that upon
the request of the President the Fed
eral Trade Commission shall make such
investigations as may be necessary to
enable the President to carry out the
provisions of this act. and for such
purposes the commission shall have
all the powers vested in it with respect
to investigations under the Federal
Trade Commission act.''
The President has not yet called
upon the commission to conduct such
inquiry
The commission. with a broad back
ground of experience in studying trade
practices and with vast records on in
dustrial set-ups and activities, is con-
sidered particularly well equipped for
the work of N r. A. code supervision
or enforcement. 1t is regarded for
that reason as also the logical Fed
eral agency to take over such N. R. A.
functions as would continue after ex-
piration of the industrial recovery act
in June, 1885.
Created in 1914.
Ever since its creation in 1914, dur
ing the administration of Woodrow
Wilson, the commission has been en-
gagged in carrying out its primary duty
of preventing unfair methods of compe-
tlt1On in commerce. 1t has invoked
governmental disapproval to combat
vicious trade practices and has assisted
some $50 industries in setting up agree
ments or codes designed to curb cut
throat competition.
Fair competition is likewise a major
objective of the N. R. A. The act es-
tabliShing the commission, however,
makes no provision as does the indus
trial recovery law for improvement of
labor conditions or the increased con-
sumption of industrial and agricultural
products by the boosting of purchasing
power. Consequently, the commission
never has assumed jurisdiction in labor
problems, and it has not attempted to
fix wage standards or limit working
hours.
For that reason, some observers are
of the opinion that the investigation Of
labor disputes under the various codes
is more likely to be handled by a special
labor board.
The trust question would be matter
of commission concern. Investigations
of price discrimination, of holding COM
panies and of interlocking directorates
which tend to substantially lessen
competition and to create monopolieS in
violation of the Clayton act have been
important functions of the commission.
The industrial recovery act stipulates
the codes shall not permit monopolies
or monopolistic practices. Moreover,
the act says that nothing in its pro-
visions shall be construed to impair the
powers of the Federal Trade Commis-
sion.