Evening star., 1934-08-29
i. s. HELD READY
To LOWER HOURS
Keeping Intact Present
Wages for Industry Seen
at N. R. A.
BY the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
The administration is ready to lower
the hours of work and keep intact
present wages for any industry in
which that action is found advisable.
This was said today at N. r. A. at
the same time it was disclosed that
two officials of the recovery organiza-
ton had submitted their designations
to Hugh S. Johnson, one during a
stormy session of the Policy Board
about two weeks ago and one pre-
viously.
They were Blackwell Smith, assist
ant general counsel of N. r. A., and
Leon Henderson, chief of the Divi-
sion of Planning and Research.
Nervous Strain Seen.
1t was said authoritatively, however,
the action during the Policy Board
meeting was due principally to nervous
strain on the part of all concerned and
was quickly smoothed over.
For months the administration has
desired a further cut in hours of
work so as to give employment to
more persons, but there have been
many difficulties
President Roosevelt himself has
urged industry to cut hours 10 per
cent without any cut in the amount
of total wages received This would
be the equivalent of raising hourly
wages.
Recently the President ordered a
reduction from 40 to So In the hours
for the cotton garment industry. The
manufacturers have determined to
oppose the order in the courts and
now are planning action.
N. r. A. is considering a number
of plans for putting more persons
to work. 1t is possible that a pro-
gram may be presented co President
Roosevelt by johnson when they
confer at Hyde Park a few days
hence.
Plan Under Study.
employment situation would involve a
distinct departure from previous emer-
gency concepts of N. R. A. 1t would
remove production restrictions in
codes and attempt to put hundreds of
thousands of men to work through a
new economy of stimulated production
and consumption made possible by
greater purchasing power.
Another would seek to open addi-
tional jobs through changes in hours
and wages, such as was done in the
cotton garment code This method
of approach would be made easier un-
der the realignment of all codes into
% groups, which was announced yes
terday.
Obviously, one of the adminiStra-
tons major problems next Winter will
be that of relief, and the President S
advisers are searching for every means
to put as many men as possible back
to work to tighten that load.
With Mr.. Roosevelts new expression
of confidence in Johnson, evidenced
by the increase in his salary from
5000 to $4,000, there appeared no
doubt that the latter would have a
major voice in shaping the new pol
icies which are to be perfected not
only to increase the number of jobs,
but also to form the basis for perma-
nent legislation.
Chairmanship Likely.
johnson probably will be named as
chairman of the board which is ex-
pected to be set up to run N. r. A.
until Congress enacts new legislation.
N R. A. officials who are urging un-
restricted production contend that
this would bring about increased en-
ployment, an increase in purchasing
power and, consequently, an increase
in consumption.
Adoption of such policy would in
volve the complete scrapping of con-
tinual price control provision and also
prohibitions against expanded plant
capacities as written into some codes.