The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1934-01-12
Reputation of Cold
Standard Was Shock
To Netv Englanders

those Of the south, for here they
claim that at last they are put on
competitive footing with the labor
costs In that section.
Freight rates are such that raw cot
ton can be delivered by boat from .
gulf port to q New England mill just
as cheaply as it can be sent by rail
to North Carolina.
So the New England mills are re-
joicing that at last the code has elm
mated the unfair competition of
cheap southern labor. It is felt that
this will prevent further movement Of
mills from New England to the south,
and even may turn the tide the other
way.
Massachusetts especially, which al
ways has had rather progressive labor
laws, feel that neighboring states as
well as southern ones are being kept
In line.
NRA Work Praised
A well-known authority In the tex
tile field claims 1893 was the most
complete reversal ever recorded in the
industry. and that the MIRA has "giv-
en- it its opportunity"
The New England Councils figures
suggest that MIRA in this section was
almost share-the-work proposition.
for despite an increase Of better than
70 per cent in number Of workers. the
number Of man-hours increased only
"a per cent last summer and fall.
w. L. Carter, chairman Of the coun.
cil's industrial committee, has said
that I'VE note growing acceptance
OF the Recovery Act as the new rules
OF the game, and recognition Of the
fact that increased costs due to the
codes operation may be offset In va
rious ways without reducing wages or
salaries or seriously increasing prices"
Shoe Industry Benefits
That IS perhaps what Ernest q.
Wheeler, president Of the Springfield
National Bank, meant when he told
me that "The leaders have learned
to do their Job better in these last
few years."
The shoe industry, also . bene-
factor from its code, moved M.
ward sharply at the year-end,
after > lull In the fall, and many
Of tho wooden mills In the Boston
area recently boosted production
+. to take care Of increasing demand
for clothing.
NRA compliance here was in gen.
eral willing, Carlos B. Ellis, COM
pliance chairman, told me. One evil
condition was allowed to continue
temporarily. A manufacturer had
women working In their homes
stitching doll dresses at 20 cents q
dozen dresses.
They couldn't earn q living wage
at that rate, but the employer had
not signed the blanket code, and there
was no way to get at him. Question
ed, he proved that this work was UNI
der contract for the Christmas trade
at figure which would permit no
higher rate Of pay.
Agrees to Raise Pay
So it was allowed to ride through
the holidays. but the employer agreed
that on all such work after the first
Of the year he would pay no less than
$13 week.
There seems no doubt about the
continued popularity of President
Roosevelt in this normally Republican
state. An extremely well-informed
editorial writer told me that People
here regard the CWA and even the
PWA as mere temporary relief-a
form of dole which Is definitely un.
sound on anything approaching per-
manent basis.
But they seem necessary this win
ter, and though people hereabouts
distrust the presidents experiments
with money, they feel that, with his
background and qualities, he cannot
lead us very far astray. I feel sure
he would carry Massachusetts, tomor-
row."