Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1934-10-18
:ional Topics Interpreted

gledneQ from recent developments In
, Washington, 1t can
MIRA viii be stated with Ger.
Continue tainty that President
Roosevelt has now
set his mind definitely to continue the
National Recovery administration as a
governmental unit 1t may well be
that the organization will be changed
as to form; it may be possible that the
name, will be revised and that there
may be revision of methods. But there
can be no equivocation about the fact
that Mr.. Roosevelt intends to maintain
NIsA and that he has acted at this
time to give notice of his decision in
advance of the converting of congress.
Observers here have taken note of
the unusual emphasis placed upon the
Presidents part in NRA reorganization
plans They think this was done at
the behest of the Chief Executive with
the thought in mind that it would serve
as a reinsurance to hundreds of thou
sands of people throughout the country.
believe there can be no doubt that
good many people, some influential,
some just the mine-run, have Ques-
toned the flying qualities of the
Blue Eagle. Their dissatisfaction and
distrust has been shown in many ways
and thus it appears logical that Mr..
Roosevelt would seek to allay their
fears.
Under the new set-up of NRA, the
President has taken active leadership.
OF course, he has been the leader here
tofore, but there has always been the
disposition on his part to allow the
former administrator, Gen. Hugh S.
Johnson, to guide his own ship. Despite
the fact that Mr.. Johnson was given a
free hand, it was easy for Mr.. Roose.
welt to take control because, after all,
he is President of the United States.
By dividing management of NRA
among the heads Of three boards, it is
generally believed that the President
has made it easier for himself to assert
his influence and his ideas more d.
rectly than has hitherto been the case.
This is particularly true when the per-
sonality Of the former administrator
is considered although the President
had only one man with whom to deal
under that circumstance.
Politically minded people in Wash
ington seem to be wondering, however,
what the effect will be on Mr.. Roose-
welt. Suggestions have been heard that
by taking a direct hand in NRA Mr..
Roosevelt has put himself tout front"
where, some seem to think he may be
the target for some Of the rotten eggs"
about which the bombastic General
johnson spoke so frequently. The re.
firing administrator said frequently
he did not mind being the target, but
many times Mr.. Roosevelt has taken
occasion to fight back at his critics by
calling them tories, unawakened Rip
Van Wrinkles, and other such descrip-
tive terms.
1t is yet too early for a general reac-
ton to be evident among conservative
-. business men on the
Opposition Presidents NRA re.
Active organization pro-
gram. Those who
have given voice to their feelings thus
far, however, have indicated that the
right wing group in the country are
finding small JUNCTION from the new
program. Indeed, the undercurrent of
information which we get in Washing
ton is to the effect that there are more
secret meetings and definite moves
among business interests to ward off
any left wing swing by the administra-
ton than there has been at any time
since Mr.. Roosevelt took Office
The Presidents recent radio speech
to the country was generally under
stood as a couciliatory move on his
part and 1t seems not to take stretch
Of the imagination to link that speech
and MIRA reorganization with these
various movements against the over
hanging threats of such liberals as
Donald Richberg, former Chicago
labor lawyer, who is certainly the most
influential man in the new NRA set-up.
Everywhere l go, find that bust
ness interests are accepting the reor-
ganization of NRA as notice Of
its continuation and it may be pos
sible that one result of this interpreta-
ton Of the Presidents act is the grow.
ing opposition movement mentioned
above. Business generally is mindful
that the matter of continuing MIRA must
be decided by congress. They recog-
nize that the present recovery act ex-
pires next June and that the Presi-
dent will lay before congress a COM
prehensive program early in January
after congress returns. Their efforts
In opposition, therefore, naturally will
be directed to the congress in an effort
to accomplish some of the changes in
the law which they believe advisable to
permit free and untrammeled commerce
and industry.
With regard to the Presidents de-
termination to continue NRA it needs
to be pointed out only that If he had
wanted to scrap that unit of his recov-
cry set-up, the retirement of General
Johnson afforded an excellent oppor-
tunity. 1t was then that he could have
allowed the organization to dlsin!egrate
| and could have transferred TO various