Evening star., 1933-11-12
Roper Concerts Commerce
Unit Into Recovery Center
aids ~ r. A, the A. A. A. and Others and
Seeks Outlets for Business in Mass
Distribution of Goods.
BY G. GOULD LINCOLN.

BY G. GOULD LINCOLN.
Recovery, the middle name of the
Roosevelt administration, has q driving.
forceful aid In the Department of Com
merce under the direction of Secretary
Daniel c. Roper.
The department and its various agen-
cies are backing up the N. R. A. the A.
A. A., T. v. A., the c. C. C. and other
new arms of the Government which
have leaped into the spotlight. But
particularly is the department as
sisting the N. r. A., and ultimately.
although there has been no statement
to that effect from the Commerce De-
partment. there seems reason to be-
heve that many Of the functions of the
N. r. A. must be turned over to the
department, after the system has been
fully launched and organized The de-
partment,. after all, is the permanent
agency OF the Government set I'D to
deal particularly with industry and
business.
The Commerce Department touches
industry, transportation and other
activities OF the American people closely
In many directions. 1t is, of course.
primarily to aid in the upbuilding of
the domestic market and of foreign
trade.
Points to Recent Upturn.
Secretary Roper, discussing yesterday
the problems before the country and
more specifically before his department
called attention to the upturn in recent
months in the foreign trade of this
country. The exports, he said. during
september reached $160, 900 900 in
value, gain of s29, ,O00,0 900 over the
exports OF August. Furthermore. this
Total exceeds the record for any month
SINCE 1881, and Is nearly 60 per cent
ABOVE the low point in February of this
year.
overseas sales form an instrument
talty which regard as vital to the
staoil1zation Of our economic life and
tine restoration Of our people to greater
comfort and more secure happiness. +"
Secretary Roper said, when asked what
place foreign commerce should hold in
americas economic program. Appar-
entity he does not subscribe to the idea
advanced In some quarters that Amer
lcas foreign trade can be held negligible
ana tnat all effort must be made to
Dulio up and at the same time restrict
ducers. pio-
IF We are to end satisfactorily. orr
aones'ie n depression" he continued, we
must diligently study the means for
tne restoration Of international trade
II Is estimated more than lO00. 600
workers have been displaced by the de-
cnne IN our export trade since 1929.
ana IL Is impossible to measure the
economic loss thus resulting from the
facilities and the like"
MIR. Roper said the Commerce De-
partment fully realizes that TO-DAY for
eign trade is confronted with formid-
apie obstacles in the shape of tariffs
excnange controls, VARYING innort
quota license systems and special fiscaI
ueVlces abroad. He added, however.
! tnere were potent factors tending tn
coun1erDaiance these obviously detrac-
tive elements. For example foreiUn
iack OF capital, industrial traditioIas
ana skilled workmanship; the freouent
inaoequacy of the markets for new local
manufacturers; unfavorable Situations
WIN respect TO raw materials, and the
consequent absence of real economic
Justincation for many of the new com
pes.ng industries that foreigners have
reared against America.
Sees New Markets Abroad
| Knowing. too. that industriauzation
aoroao creates new markets for our
capital goods-together with new nur-
chasing ability for our consumer COM
mooites-we are convinced that there
always VIII be an ample field for
american exports" Mr.. Roper said
Certain OF the trade barriers of the
present day would seem to be essen
tally transitional in character"
In the case of Is countries. Ameri-
can exports during the first half of
1888 were better than last year. Among
the manufactured goods that are par.
ucipatlng IN the export upswing are
ONCE equipment, motor cars, radio sets.
power pumps and coal tar products.
Mr.. Roper gave In detail some of the
steps by which the Department of
commerce Is aiding the national re-
coVery program. He called attention to
the recent designation Of the rs De-
partment OF Commerce managers
throughout the United States as dis
trict compliance directors for the N.
r. A., with authority to handle code
violations and conciiate and secure en-
forcement.
THE departments most recent rec
ords." said Mr.. Roper, covering ac
t1vities up to the close of business on
October 28. show its 26 district officers
tactlng in reality now as N. r. A,
service stations) had received and tab
ulated 2,259,050 signed agreements to
the Presidents Unemployment propos-
al, and 2,169,816 certificates Of COM
pliance Herewith. Nearly 14,500 900
employees are affected by the agree
ments thus secured. This achieve
ment may be regarded as a striking
demonstration of productive collabora-
ton between governmental bodies.
Began Before Act Was Passed.
THE Commerce Departments specific
assistance to the national recovery
program began even before the passage
of the act The department set UP
co-ordinating unit, sent representatives
to attend congressional hearings, made
anticipatory surveys and did much pre-
liminary work on prospective codes Of
business practices After the N. r. A.
had been established, virtually every
branch Of the Bureau of Foreign and
Domestic Commerce was called upon
to help 1t. Great numbers of people
have been puzzled as to the require
nlents, privileges and obligations under
the Blue Eagle. In search Of the au-
thentic facts, they have been literally
storming the field Offices of the De-
partment of Commerce In one major
Eastern city the Commerce Department
district manager has been successful
In averting more than so labor con-
flicts, by his skill in explaining, con-
ciliating and adjusting divergent view
YNniv,te la,. ha ~ fha A
"The regional district and State re-
covery boards were formed very largely
under the counsel and guidance of the
Commerce Departments district man
ayers. The formation Of local boards
to insure employers compliance with the
Presidents unemployment agreement
as provided another opportunity for the
departments field officers TO be of vital
assistance In the N. r. A. campaign.
They did spade work In setting up
more than 5000 compliance boards,