The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1934-11-22
NRA CHIEF UPHOLDS
INDIVIDUALS right
TO MAKE DECISIONS
80 Cents An Hour Minimum
Wage for Work.ReIief
Abandoned by FERA
FIRST FORD CAR BOUGHT
Richberg Hits Majority Rule
Decision Of National La
Dor Board
FIRST FORD CAR BOUGHT

Washington, Nov. 22.-(R)-Further
evidence that the New Deal sails are
gradually being trimmed was had
Thursday from two directions.
l. The 30 cents an hour minimum
wage for work-relief was abandoned
by FERA.
?. For the first time since the MIRA
Blue Eagle scared aloft, the govern
ment purchased a Henry Ford prod
uct.
With fundamental revision of MIRA
being talked officially, and the admin
istration policy toward labor and So
cial legislation being watched ever
the more closely, these DEVELOPMENTS
attracted unusual notice in the cap
ital.
Harry L. Hopkins abandonment of
his minimum wage ideas recalled
southern protests against this aspect
OF CWA last winter. Especially in the
south was this policy considered a
trouble maker.
Localities Decide Wage
The future work-relief wage cri.
terion will be the rates prevailing ir
the community affected. Local com.
munities already functioning will de-
termine the proper wage. Past orders
have been rescinded
The Interior Department awarded
contract for one truck to the North
west Motor Co. of Bethesda, Md, the
firm about which the tempest over
whether the government could buy
Ford products ragged months ago.
1t was held then that no Ford car
could be bought unless the Ford
Company signed a certificate Of COM
pliance with the automobile code
which it did not do.
Now. apparently. this federal posi-
ton has been modified TO consider the
signing of certificate BY the mid
dleman sufficient.
These Developments Thursday fol.
lowed the blow dealt by Donald Rich.
berg. President Roosevelts No. 1 as.
sistant, on the controversial "maio
ity rule" decision Of the national Ia.
Dor relations board.
Upholds Individuals Right
Wide interes. was aroused In tn
Richberg speech. delivered before the
Associated Grocery Manufacturers in
New York, in which he laid down the
opinion that only workman himself
can decide what voting unit"-plant,
craft or other grouping-he shall en-
ter. Only after he has associated
himself voluntarily with such q unit
can he be bound by the will of the
majority. Richberg said.
Many labor leaders and Industrial
lists have understood the labor boards
ruling, given in the Houde case, as
meaning that an organization winning
I. majority Of votes in an election
within q group or plant shall repre-
sent all employees for purposes Of COL
lective bargaining.
individual Has Rights
mo one has been given any au
thority under the law" he said, "ano
I doubt whether anyone could be CIV
en- legally the authority to herd all
the employees, or any number Of en-
ployes, into q voting unit and then
to compel them to select their repre-
sentatives by q majority vote.
The right Of self organization GER
tainly includes the right Of each mar
to decide for himself with what man
he desires to be associated / submit
that there would be serious question
of the constitutionality Of any law
which sought to compel men to units
for the protection of their private in
terests with those with whom they
were unwilling to associate. -
Declaring the labor board itself
laid down no rule as to the proper
unit for voting, he also said his in
depreciation was entirely consistent"
with the principles Of the American
Federation Of Labor. THE theory OF
craft unionisln,' he said, "calls for
recognition Of the right Of men to
associate with their fellow workers
as they please"
Although disagreeing with some
interpretations Of the Houde deci-
sion, he called the decision itself "ab-
solutely sound"
IT vote is held" he said. lin
which men voluntarily participate for
the purpose of selecting their repre-
sentatives, then, unless those chosen
by the majority are to be accepted as
representing the entire electorate.
there can be no orderly method Of
collective action
Seen rs Official View
Though Eichberg emphasized he
voiced only his own views, his posi-
ton lent much significance to his re-
marks on one Of the most complex
controversies involving section IA OF
the recovery act. The whole act
comes up for overhauling in the next
congress, and observers wondered
whether Richberg's views pointed the
future attitude Of the administration.
He deplored coercion by employers
or labor leaders and said the DOM
inant purpose Of IA Is to protect in
d!vidual liberty and voluntary collec-
tive action.
The first principle Of permanent
NRA legislation. he said, should be
ITO preserve the flexibility Of code
making" so that industries them
selves could establish the conditions
,>ast s,,ited tn them SUCCESS and than