Evening star., 1934-12-20
The Business Recovery Program.

4ne business hecOVery Program.
Business and industrial leaders as
sembled at White Sulphur Springs ex-
plain that in adopting their program
for recovery they realize that the
task Of recovery is one (which calls
for the unselfish cooperation of all"
and that the Government 'in exer-
cising the proper responsibilities Of
leadership is entitled to their whole
hearted support" Reconciliation of
divergent views and concentration "of
national effort upon the one great
purpose" of recovery require patience
and tolerance"
And motivated by this desire to be
patient and tolerant, not unlike the
father who explains that the busi-
ness before him "is going to hurt
me more than 1t hurts you," the White
Sulphur Springs program drafters
have completed their work.
The program indicates a willing
ness to let by-goneS be by-gones In
the hope that the future will correct
errors of the past. Admitting that
relief is one of the foremost problems
confronting the Nation, the program
suggests that "relief is not properly a
function Of the Federal Government,
but is primarily the obligation of the
family, or private charity, of the
municipality and the State" and is
hopeful that the unwillingneSs OF
States and municipalities to share
relief responsibilities will be overcome
as soon as practicable" by returning
the burden of relief back to the States
and municipalities. The program ap-
proves thorough and sympathetic"
study Of the problem of unemploy-
ment insurance, but doubts the eff
cacy of applying unemployment re-
serves in the present situation, and
suggests a committee representing
business and industry for the study
of such matters as unemployment re-
serves and old-age pensions. The
program advocates definite evidence
of a determined effort by Congress
and the administration to balance the
budget" as fundamental to any sound
recovery program. 1t feels that
stabilization Of the dollar by inter.
national agreement would be of i'm
measurable benefit" and suggests that
the free flow Of capital in private
enterprise would be helped by modi-
f1cation of the securities act. 1t be-
lieves that the failure in the durable
goods industry to create employment
despite the vast accumulation Of de-
ferred demands is still to be blamed
on a certain lack of confidence and
suggests various conditions necessary
in the revival Of confidence and the
durable goods industry. The program
is strongly opposed to continuation
and extension of the Governments
competition with private business and
remarks that this destructive COM
petition, carrying with it the threat
of extension into other fields, has
profoundly shaken confidence"
On the national industrial recovery
act, the program favors its extension
for another year, with notifications
that would make code acceptance
voluntary for industry. On price-fxing
and production control, the program
believes that Gin proper cases, in the
public interest,"" practical measures
should be permitted to prevent price
decentralization" Collective bargaining
is approved, along with elimination of
child labor, but in reference to the
former the program remarks signif1-
cantly that men should be protected
in their right to work as well as in
their right to strike"
This program for the most part
looks into the future, and is doubtless
full of hope. But examined against
the present background Of discussions
and proposals in Washington it leaves
the reader searching in vain for the
common ground on which the admin
istration and business are going to get
together. Perhaps 1t will be found