The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1934-01-06
JOHNSON PLANS
TO REORCANIzE
NRA STRUCTURE
Labor Leaders Expected to
Make New Drive for
Detectives.
BY HERBERT LITTLE
Times staff Writer

WASHINGTON, Jan. 6.-The
whole NRA code structure. covering
about IS per cent of industry, is be-
ing re-opened to stop it from creak-
ing at various joints.
Administrator Hugh Johnson
plans to call all code authority
members here early in February in
an attempt to iron-out inconsistent
cies ito sort of mop up this work
and organize the things that have
been done"-as to prices, business
regulations and other code questions.
Coincident with this, President
John L. Lewis of the United Mine
Workers in a speech in Philadelphia
today presented a demand for
fundamental revision Of both the
recovery and the business and LABOR
reform phases of NRA.
Propose Thirty Hour Week
He proposed that NRA under its
present powers restore 1926 produc-
ton schedules and install thirty
hour week and a 50-cent an hour
pay minimum, requiring that
workers be paid not less than their
1926 wages in dollars a week. He
criticised NRA's present policy as
"temporizing and exceedingly slow
in it's application"
This program will meet the OPP
position of General Johnson, who
has indicated he believes industry
unable to absorb even the additional
cost of a thirty fve-hour week.
Most codes specify forty-hour week.
However, General JohnSon'S an
nouncement that he will consider
changes in all codes is expected to
bring a new drive from labor men
for their detectives. Reopening this
week of the electrical manufacture
ing code for another purpose brought
a thirty-hour week, 50-cent mini
mum demand, from an industrial
union.
Increased Labor Cost
Mr.. Lewis program would in
crease industry's labor cost by 25
per cent. But its complete re-em-
ployment of workers, including
those thrown out of jobs by ma
chimes, would put mass power
about Is per cent ahead of the price
level" he said. He suggested his
program should be undertaken first
in basic industries.
If some such plan is not adopted,
MI. Lewis said, it will be necessary
for organized labor to ask congress
to revise the recovery act to require
labor capital copartnership.
General Johnson in telling of his
plan for checking up on code opera
tions said he would see to it that
compliments "are not molested" by
their competitors.
Lumber Code ReOpening
Meanwhile the lumber code, one
of the first approved, will be re-
opened at a hearing Tuesday. I'm
Official but apparently well-founded
reports to NRA indicate this code
ID 1IOb WOl rN1A1E5 co WIZ Co ~ SAAONAN%'
The hearing also will consider con-
sumner complaints which have been
assembled by the consumers adj
visory board. The operations of the
retail lumber code will be consid-
cred at the same time.
NRAs price investigation to de-
termine code results on the gener-
ally voiceless consumer also w=
open Tuesday. All price develop
ments under codes, except in lumber
and oil, will be taken up at this
hearing, partly through testimony
of city and state purchasing agents,
and partly through surveys made
by price experts for the consumers
advisory board.
Reports both to General Johnson
and the consumers board indicate
that most of the major difficulties
so far are centered in about a half
dozen major industries, although
minor changes may be made in
many.