Evening star., 1934-09-23
BY OWEN L. SCOTT.

soon to be found leading the Nation S
industrial interests in their coming
struggle to regain ground lost during
this initial stage Of the New Deal?
Or can the doughty general check
his impulsiveness and work in harness
with other New Dealers, once he
finds that he cannot bend the powers
of reorganized N. r. A. to his own
will?
On the answer to the second ques-
tion may depend the answer to the
first. Right now the N. r. A. ad-
ministrator feels that he will be happy
in newly designed recovery admin
istration that will leave him smaller
responsibility and less freedom of
action. That is his first reaction.
But other attempts to narrow the
sphere of the Johnson influence have
not ended so happily. Will this new
attempt turn out differently?
Few of those who know Gen. John
son well think so. They quickly re-
call the results of earlier efforts to
clip his wings.
One Of those efforts was made last
Spring when steel strike threatened
The Federal Government intervened
and early in the proceedings the N.
r. A. administrator offended the labor
spokesmen. President Roosevelt then
relieved the general of responsibility
and gave the task of settlement to
Frances Perkins, Secretary of Labor
Since that time there has grown a
decided coolness between the two.
Later. the San Francisco general
strike developed. A board was created
to deal with the problem, but Gen
Johnson soon bobbed up with state
ments that antagonized the workers
X X X
Now, with a textile strike involving
large numbers of workers and delicate
problems of adjustment, the general
again has barged in with an ex-
preston of views that has aroused the
wrath of labor leaders. Previously
he had clashed with union of his
own employees in N. r. A. and had been
ordered by the National Labor Re-
lations Board to reinstate an en-
ploye who had been fired by him
In effect the N. L. r. B. found that
Gen. johnson had violated the law
that he was called upon to enforce
The Labor Relations Board also dis
covered that decisions made by the
board, calling for removal of Blue
Eagles from employers who violated
the labor section of the recovery law
became lost in the shuttle at N. r. A
A word from the President was needed
to straighten out this matter.
This accumulation of developments
has led some leaders of organized
labor to demand the retirement of
Gen. johnson. Adding to these the
fact that he again has crossed swords
with Donald Richberg, general coun-
sci of N. R. A. and at present chief
New Deal co-ordinator, and that for
some time has been frowned upon
by several of the highest New Deal
ers, there seems to be ample reason
for wondering how long the general
will find his new position COM
Portable.
X X X X
The industrialists, among other
things, are preparing to battle for
an N. R. A. that would permit in
dustry to organize and operate with
minimum of Government super
vision or interference They are op-
posed to continuance of separate
labor boards, such as the National
Labor Relations Board, and to the
inclusion into law of any statement
that positively affirns the right of
labor to organize into unions inde-
pendent of company influence.
For the big natural resource indus
tries, such as coal and oil and lumber,
they would permit cooperation of
units in the industries outside the
antitrust laws and along the lines
of the European cartels. These car
tells permit of control over prices and
production. The new grouping of
industries proposed by Gen. johnson
for N. r. A. closely follows the cartel
form.
This seeking after a formula behind
which the employers of the country
can unite is part Of the preparation
for the coming battle in Congress
over the future Of N. R. A. The re-
covery act expires next June 16 and
must be re-enacted if it is to continue
in force. President Roosevelt is be-
ginning to lay his plans for enact
ment Of revised law. At the same
time industrialists are preparing their
plans.
But If the industrial group is to sell
its ideas to the country in competl-
ton with those of the President. it
needs a master salesman. Who more
masterful than Gen. johnson? He
would come with the background
of one who has been among the inner
circle Of the New Deal. But at the
same time he could rally business
men and employers generally as one