The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1933-08-25
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National Topics Interpreted 70 fTTMTTTA
by William Bruckart AR<n31FF
by William Bruckart

to + OOt wa EN- Wltness tic s'oiI
of new stage
In the national drive for economic re-
covery. 1t is unfortunate there were
only those few persons able to witness
that which l am convinced Is going
down in history as an event worthy OF
recollection. 1t is unfortunate that
more persons were unable to see the
spectacle of Gen. Hugh S. Johnson, the
recovery administrator, in that moment
of determination, his eyes glaring, his
jaws set. 1t was decisive.
The incident TO which / refer was
when General Johnson, at one of his
regular conferences with newspaper
correspondents, announced that the
time was near, if, indeed, it had not
already arrived when somebody is
going to take one of those blue eagles
off the window of some business
house" because that business house
failed to live up to it's pledges in the
code.
And" General Johnson added with
all of the grim determination of the
army officer that he was, when that
happens, it is going to be an economic
death sentence. That outfit will be
nearly through"
He leveled a finger at the CORE
spondents that, under the atmosphere
created by his earlier remarks, seemed
for all the world to me like it might
go off. There was no braggadocio. 1t
was a positive declaration, this asser-
ton that some of those who promised
to do their part would try to cheat.
And the added remark that such
business house was economically SEN
fenced to death when their pet blue
eagle insignia was taken down was
as sternly said as though it had been
an actual sentence of death from the
lips of a jurist. l repeat, it was i'm
pressive.
do not know how effective this
threat will be. No one does, because
it never has been done in peace time
in this country. But make no mistake
about it: the individual who attempts
to balk General Johnson is going to
have both hands full. To employ a
favOrite expression of colored boy
whom know: 'He amt goin' to fool
wild 'em."
General Johnson's remarks on that
occasion illustrate better than other
words available to me the develop
mentS thus far in the great campaign
to lift this country out of the economic
nd cti1
tinues, the effort was to get businesses
into line, into agreement to stand unit
ed and work for the common good.
Those agreements among the individ-
ual businesses were, and are, agree
mentS with and promises to the Presi-
dent of the United States that each
will make the necessary sacrifices, the
required concessions, that given re-
suit may be attained. Everyone hopes
for better times. That is the end
sought, and the signing of codes, in
Guiding the promises of individuals
who buy things to deal only where the
blue eagle is displayed, was just the
preliminary work.
Now, however, the national recovery
administration has reached the point
where the enterprise must either sue
coed or fail. There are to be no more
soft words. The decisive moment has
come. General Johnson's determine
ton that ''he amt goin' to fool wild
'em," has placed the entire power of
has been done.
This blue eagle insignia is a power
full weapon. 1t may later fall into dis
repute, but, however
Weapon play of that poster
now is having an
enormous effect. For instance, Gen.
eral Johnsons attention was called to
the status of public utilities operating
wholly within state, a unit unto it.
self and not subject to the jurisdiction
of the federal government. He re-
piled that the blue eagle knows no
state lines.
This blue eagle doesn't know any
thing about interstate or intrastate
commerce." he said. IF the recovery
act fails to reach such corporations,
the blue eagle will reach them"
And so the stage is set for the drive
to encourage people to buy now and
to buy only from those displaying the
blue eagle.
Let us look into this program. The
call to buy now represents a move to
get people to let loose of money they
have been holding back on account of
uncertainty (if they have had such
money! and thus to provide the dis
tribution agencies such as retail stores
with business and, of course, profit.
If the retailer sells, he must buy from
his source, which is the wholesaler or
the jobber, and when they have dis
posed of their stock they must seek
requirements from the manufacturer.
He, in turn, if he is going to remain
in business, must manufacture replace
ments, and thus the cycle has been set
in motion.
But there is more to it than just the
proposition of moving goods along
from producer to consumer. Each
time that the consumer sets the cycle
in motion by making purchase, he
adds theoretically at least to the prob
ability of more jobs for workers. He
also adds to the possibility of a profit
for all of those handling the COM
modify whether it be wheat or cotton
or hogs and milk from the farms, or.
hosiery from the mills, or railroad
freight cars.
There has not been time in recent
years that stocks of manufactured
goods in warehouses of the country
were as low as they are now. 1t is
condition known as hand-to-mouth
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