Evening star., 1934-03-05

out even suggesting Q way to
build up.
Helpful Criticism Welcomed.
On the other hand, the critic is
patriotic, whether he be q business
man, worker, a farmer or a poll
tlcian, II he says, don't like the
methods you are using to solve the
problem; believe 1t would be far
better If We were to use the fol-
lowing alternate method, and
thereupon outlines for the benefit
of his neighbor and his Govern
ment a helpful proposal.
In this great evolution through
which We are passing, the average
American is doing splendid service
by coming back at the captious
critic anrd saying to him, We'll.
old man, and what do you sug-
gest?" One thing Is very certain,
We are not going back, either to
the old conditions or to the old
methods.
And now to be more specific in
regard to the N. r. A. itself. You
have set up representative govern
ment In industry. You are carry
ing it on without violation Of the
constitutional or the parliamentary
system to which the United States
has been accustomed. Your indus
trial groups are composed Of two
parts-labor and management, and
the Government is a participant
In this organization In order to
carry out this mandate OF the law,
"To promote organization In in
dustry for the purpose of cooper
ative action In trade groups and
to induce and maintain united
action Of labor and management
under adequate Government sane
ton and supervision. Somebody.
Of course. must strike the equitable
balance between conflicting inter-
ests and especially must protect
the third group-the consumer
and that word consumer" means
the whole American people.
That group has also been in
Washington. invited to come here
and to make known publicly any
complaint as to the effects Of any
Of the codes. I am sure 1t will
hearten you to know that the great
majority Of the complaints were
directed not at the codes. but at
errors and omissions in what has
been done under codes. The great
bulk of complaint or criticism Of
the recovery act does not 60 to
the act itself. or to its basic princi-
pies, but rather to the details Of
m mere method. In this we should
feel encouraged and heartened
that we are on the right track and
can 60 forward.
Consuming Power First.
In working out the balance on
a national scale, Of which have
spoken before, We can list certain
immediate objectives. spoke last
June of the fact that wage in
creases will eventually raise costs.
but I asked that management give
first consideration to increasing
the purchasing power Of the pub
lie I said, That is good eco
nomics and good business. The
aim of this whole effort Is to re-
store our rich domestic market by
raising its vast consuming ca
pacity" Complaint has been made
of a few industries and Of some
companies that they have not fol-
lowed this suggestion, and evidence
brought forward shows that In
some cases these complaints are
justified. What said was true
in June and it Is true now. The
first task Of industry today. as 1t
was then, is to create consuming
power
We must remember that the
bulk Of the market for American
industry is among the 80 per cent
of our people who live on wages
and salaries and only 10 per cent
of that market IS among people
who live on profits alone. No one
is opposed to sensible and rea-
sonable profits. but the morality
of the case is that great segment
of our people are in actual dis
tress and that as between profits
first and humanity afterward and
humanity first and profits after
ward we have no room for hesi-
tation. With millions still unem-
ployed the power Of our people
to purchase and use the products
of industry Is still greatly cur
tailed. 1t can be increased and
sustained only by striving for the
lowest schedule OF prices on which
higher wages and increasing en-
ployment can be maintained.
Therefore, I give to industry
today this challenge: 1t Is the
immediate task of industry to re-
employ more people at purchasing
wages and to do 1t now. Only
thus can We continue recovery and
restore the balance we seek. 1t
IS worth while keeping in the front
Of our heads the thought that the
people in this country whose in
comes are less than $4,000 year
buy more than two-thirds of all
the goods sold here. 1t is logical
that If the total amount that goes
in wages to this group of human
beings is steadily increased mer-
chants, employers and investors
will in the long run get more in
come from the increased volume
of Gales.
All Are Given Part
want to speak for a moment
directly to the public. In my in
itial statement of policy said:
Finally, this law is a challenge
to our whole people. There is no
power In America that can force
against the public will such action
as we require. But there is no
group in America that can with
stand the force of an aroused pub
lie opinion. This great cooper
alton can succeed only If those
who bravely 60 forward to restore
jobs have aggressive public sup
port and those who lag are made
to feel the full weight Of public
disapproval."
You all know what happened. We
gave you the Blue Eagle as a SYM
Dol Of cooperation. Its display In
=