The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1933-07-01

submission of the cotton code to
The cotton textile industrys re-
quest for specific and immediate
planning was submitted in spite Of
the fact that congress repeatedly
has SHE'D away from even the most
tentative steps toward planned
economy, that the administration
has not looked upon it with ia
vor, and that General Hugh S.
johnson has said he is ANXIOUS TO
avoid anything resembling price
fixing as long as possible.
Cooperation Is Pledged
However, it has been predicted by
some in recent weeks that the in
dustriaI recovery act could not func-
ton effectively unless this further
step was taken.
The cotton men have suggested
appointment of a committee within
the industry ito cooperate with
the administrator as a planning
and fair practice agency This
agency would present to the admin
istration recommendations for dras-
tic trade regulations which he
might, if he saw fit, approve and
enforce.
The committee could, for ex-
ample, recommend registration OF
all existing productive machinery
and a requirement that the admin
istau,r approve installation Of any
further machinery.
Such action would fix a much
more definite limit on production
than the clause at present in the
code limiting operation of ma
chinery to eighty hours a week.
Complex Task Is Faced
With it goes a proposal for agree
ments on prices, and likewise, for
giving those who supply credit to
the industry, information on gen
eral condition Ito the end that
available credit may be adapted to
the needs of such industry consld-
cred as a whole and to the needs
of small as we'll as large units"
The industrial recovery admins
tration faces an exceedingly COM
pick and difficult task if these pOr-
visions are agreed to. 1t must:
l. Decide whether it will permit
price levels sufficient to support I'M
economical plants, and plants in
excess of the productive require
ments of the industry; or:
O. Whether it will force these out
of business by fixing a price just
high enough to permit operation at
satisfactory wage scales in the most
efficient plants.
recommendations Ready Soon
In tavoring the eighty-hour limit
on operation of machines the ad-
ministration apparently has inclined
toward the first point of view, but
the extent to which it might be
willing to proceed in this direction
is debatable.
A decision on these and other
points VIII be made before PreSi-
dent Roosevelt arrives back in
Washington. The administration
Wipes to have its recommendations
hoady for him when he gets here.
reThe code revisions submitted Fri
Ay did not extend the wage and
diour provisions to any of the nu-
hnerOus excluded workers except
white collar office employees, and
That is a matter still to be con-
sidered, as is the threat of the
"stretch-out" forcing workers to
operate more machines on their
shorter shifts.
Pre- War Purchasing Power
General Johnson indicated his
acquiescence with wage and hour
figures in the code after his re-
search assistant DR. Alexander
SpchS, announced that his figures
showed the $l2 and $13 wages
would give the worker pre- depres-
sion purchasing power and allow
ance for a 100 per cent increase in
prices.
He also declared the forty-hour
week for textiles will absorb all tex
tile workers now unemployed. re-
quiring an increase of about 1000
f,.o,,, tl,o Io.-ol Of OctObor 1Qo0