The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1934-10-26
by William Bruckart

be proposals in the next congress
which will have the support of con-
siderable segment of business, seq
ment that is decidedly not pulling with
the administration now because 1t
doubts the efficacy of the brain trust
proposals.
The guiding hands Of NRAl have run
into a tough adversary right here in
the National Capt.
NkA races tai in a firm by the
Bitter Fight name of W. r. Rob-
erts. company, incor-
porated. The Roberts company de-
clined to sign the graphic arts code,
the code that applies to printing and
allied industries. Having refused to
sign the code the Roberts company
paid no attention to the code pro-
visions governing wages and hours Of
labor, SO MIRA turned the case over
to its lawyers for prosecution, and that
was the beginning Of fight that prom
ises to be as bitter as any yet arising
from New Deal legislation.
The MIRA lawyers, armed with aft
davits Of eight Roberts employees to
the effect that they were not receiv-
ing minimum code wages and were
working more than the maximum
hours, sought in an injunction in the
District of Columbia courts to prevent
the corporation from violating the code
further. Their contention was that the
code applied to the Roberts company
was drafted with the assent of ma
jority of the printing industry. But
the court declined to grant the injunc-
ton, deciding that the case should be
tried on its merits. The Roberts COM
pany felt it had gained something Of
a victory in the courts ruling, but it
did not stop there. 1t has laid out a
much broader campaign and it is that
campaign which is proving so embaras
sing to the NRA.
B. H. Roberts, head of the corpor-
alton, told me in the course Of dis
cussion Of the case that he was de-
termined to awaken the country to the
excessive costs of code maintenance.
He objects strenuously to some of the
code provisions and maintains that the
bulk of his pay roll is well above the
minimum prescribed by the code, but
that his main complaint is against the
arbitrary actions of the code authori-
ties set up by NRA for enforcement
of the code provisions.
The Roberts company further con-
tends that the code authorities are
impractical, that they lack an under
standing of the businesses over which
they preside and that their whole
course of action tends to put legitimate
industries in a strait-jacket which, ac-
cording to Mr.. Roberts, can have only
one result, namely, loss of profits and
eventual dismissal of some If not many
employees.
The reports in Washington are to the
effect that since the Roberts company
case reached the trial court, something
like 1900 print shops throughout the
country have declined to pay further
assessments to the code authority for
their industry. There is no means at
present available for ascertaining this
figure accurately, but the gossip around
NRA is to the effect that not only have
scores of print shops refused to pay
assessments, but in vast number of
cases they have surrendered their blue
eagle to MIRA headquarters. This
means virtually an open revolt in that
part of the printing industry, and it
is circumstance that is causing con-
siderable worry among NRA admins
traitors.
This weekly resume Of Washington
affairs is not intended to be of a Cos
sipy character, but
Nearing there is a report CO.
Open Break ing around in Wash
ington, quite uncon-
| firmed as yet, that holds much sig
nificance. For that reason shall include
it that you may know all things are
not serene.
The story concerns a rift in the De-
partment of Agriculture and it's adopt
| ed child, the Agricultural Adjustment
administration. In no governmental
| agency are there as many brain trust
ers and theorists as are to be found
| in the AAA. They have come to be
known as the Tugwellians, named for
| Prof. Rexford Guy Tugwell, undersecre-
| tary of agriculture. Professor Tugwell,
long regarded as the outstanding brain
| truster, has been consistent in promo
ton of his theories and his SUBURBAN
trusters have followed his lead through
all the storm and strife between the
theoretical and the practical men with
| in the administration.
Now, according to the report, the
rift between the brain trusters and the
practical men in the AAA and the de-
partment as well is approaching an
open break. 1t has gone so far, ac-
cording to well authenticated reports,
that the practical groups have pre-
pared their designations and have left
them in the hands of one individual