Evening star., 1934-01-01
Four Million Are Claimed to
Have Been Restored to
Work by Year End.
BLUE EAGLES REMAIN UP;
ORIGINAL PACT EXPIRES
Flouting of Labor Phases Of Law
Among Most Serious Problems
Facing Administration.
By the Associated Press.

The N. r. A. today set itself task
of regimenting-before the end OF
January, II poSSible-the wages and
hours OF industries employing between
four and six million workers.
Taking stocks as the year ended, the
Recovery Administration estimated
some 100000 workers have been
restored to gainful employment" and
that basic wages had been raised and
maximum hours reduced in industries
employing between l8 and 20 million
people.
Thus, said N. r. A. the 1872 Blue
Eagle codes thus far created cover the
biggest part Of the most important in
dustries, while the hundreds OF codes
remaining to be prepared are centered
mainly upon less important groups.
Tens of thousands of Blue Eagles
continued on display today. despite the
expiration yesterday Of the original
Presidents unemployment agreement,
under which some 100000 employers
won the right to fly the insignia.
Benefits Recorded.
Most of those blanketed by the origi-
nal agreement have since been covered
by mandatory codes. President RooSe-
yelt has invited all not SO covered TO
continue the voluntary agreement until
May, but those not desiring may take
down their Blue Eagle and go back TO
unregulated wages and hours unless
cO'ered by mandatory code.
The N. r. A, in its review. recorded
testimony by many leading industries Of
benefits received under the Blue Eagle,
and spoke of business reforms ranging
from bans on child labor and the sweat
shop to high standards in advertising.
Almost simultaneously, William Green.
president of the American Federation
Of Labor. said in a New Year message
that the future looks bright and re-
assuring" The codification of industry.
he said, has laid a foundation for IAN
economic order in keeping with mass
/ production requirements" The new
year. he added, should bring AN ap
pr0Ximate return to normal economic
and industrial conditions"
| CogniZant of some trouble ahead.
| however. N r. A. administrators today
conceded action would have TO be taken
along many lines.
However. the future was looked upon
BY the recovery officials with a strong
show Of confidence and the review they
issued did not go into the troubles
known to lie ahead. The list that fol-
lows records some of those acknowledged
by the n. r. A. leaders:
The industrial laws guarantee that
workers may unionize freely and with
out interference has been directly
fiouted by growing list Of leading in
dustrialiSts, and not one has yet been
disciplined This failure is encourag-
ing still more employers to make light
of labor phases OF the law.
Al increasing number Of small en-
ployerS complains that the codes fail
to protect them from powerful COM
petltOrs and monopolistic practices.
Obedience to code terms is admittedly
lacking In thousands OF cases discipline
Is biting into this "chiseling" slowly. and
final success is not yet assured
The reduction of work hours ordered
| by the codes. while in most instances
all that industries can now stand, can
not give sufficient Unemployment for
the long pull and still shorter hours
will have to be obtained.
Notifications Planned.
A number OF the codes are offcially
considered bad" and will have to be
revised to eliminate practices which
are contrary to public interest.
Congress will have much to say about
these points and more, and the admin
istration which was not ready a few
| weeks ago to offer remedial legislation
of its own. has definitely committed It
self now to sponsor notifications OF
the industrial act to compromise with
the strongest objectors to present
shortcomings.
Both Hugh S. johnson and his re-
sponsible aides freely admit defects
and have constantly reiterated that
they are experimenting with open
minds, refusing to be restricted by old
economic laws unless new undertakings
prove failures
On one point they insisted: The
achievements so far outweigh in their
minds all failures and disappointments.