Evening star., 1934-11-08
LABOR OBLIGATION
IS CITED IN FORUM
Responsibilities to Public
Should Equal Those of
Capital, Says Roper.

Capital, Says Roper.
Labor's responsibility to the public
should be equal to that of capital,
Secretary of Commerce Daniel G.
Roper declared last night in an ad-
dress delivered in the National Radio
Forum.
The forum, arranged by The Wash
1ngton Star, was broadcast over
coast-to-coast network of the National
Broadcasting Co., and was heard To-
cally through WRC.
The cabinet member defended the
Roosevelt administration against the
charge that it seeks the regimentatlon
OF business and industry. Far from
being an attempt at RECOMMENDATION,
he said. the New Deal is trying ito
save industry and business from regl-
mentation that develops through
powerful minority control and IN
centives.'
Back Right Not to Strike.
Referring to the responsibility of
labor, Secretary Roper said:
IF we wish to exercise the right OF
not working-that is, to strlke-thlS
right should be safeguarded. But in so
doing we should defend the right not
to strike: that is, the right to work
without molestation.
I'm the relationships which develop
between employer and employe, 1t is
mandatory upon both employers and
employees to live up to their parts OF
the agreements determined upon.
Each man must be just as responsible
to the public and must be held to
lust as strict accountable bility as the
other"
Continuing, the Secretary declared
that emergency relief requirements
would "be gradually retired as normal
business conditions are restored, ana
business, States and localities assume
their responsibilities"
Text of Address.
The text of Secretary Roper'S ad-
dress follows:
am grateful to the National Radio
Forum and Mr.. Oliver Owen Kuhn,
managing editor of The Washington
Star, for giving me the privilege of
once again joining this large family
circle in American homes throughout
the country to discuss with my fellow
citizens events and developments of
major concern and interest to all OF
us.
feel that I am tonight visiting
again with many old friends, many
whom I know personally and larger
number that I have come to know
and appreciate through correspond
ence resulting from previous appear
ances on this forum program. AS
your trustee charged with the respon-
sibility of exercising executive and
administrative authority over the
business department Of the Govern
ment, I have welcomed the personal
calls at my Office and enjoyed the
letters which have reached me from
the large countrywide family circle
of the National Radio Forum. I wish
I had the time tonight to read to you
some Of these letters, for I am GER
tain they would be as inspiring to
you as they have been to me. They
have served to justify my we'll con-
sidered belief, reinforced by an ex-
perience of over 40 years of active
participation and frst-hand observa-
tion in public service, that the aver
age American citizen, whose name
may never be known beyond the small
circle of his personal acquaintance,
frequently is thinking things through
and is determining for himself the real
and vital issues involved in national,
State and local problems.
Faith in Government.
At times mass emotion and mass
psychology may dominate over rea-
son and judgment. But every vital
period of internal economic and social
crisis, with but one exception, has
found the American people capable
of facing their challenging situation
with an abiding faith in the processes
of their form of government that has
never failed to produce great leader
when the times demanded such lead
ership. No other nation or form of
government could have withstood the
devastating and rapid descent from
the heights of prosperity, even though
such prosperity was unsound in many
ways, to the depths of tragic depres-
sion dramatized chiefly by the sorry
employed and decline of more than
half in national income from an esti-
mated $85 ,000, 100000 in 1929 to around
$4,000, 100000 in 1882.
No miracles were promised by Presi-
dent Roosevelt and his administration.
And after 20 months of facing the
most serious peace-time problems yet
experienced by our Nation the perform
ance of no miracles is claimed. But
every one Of my listeners will agree
that the destructive forces of the de-
preston were halted and that i'm
provements and recovery in many
segments Of our economic system have
been most satisfactory. Now that the
elections are over and the newspapers
are carrying final returns from the
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