The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1934-05-25

Report spoken in its criti-
H;fs NRA cism of many NRA
principles, has ere
ated more of furore in Washington
than anything since the administration
Cancelled the airmail contracts with
out granting the contractors hearing.
In fact, gather from all indications
that the boards attacks were directly
responsible for General Johnson's ac-
ton in releasing small businesses of
certain kinds from responsibility I'M
der the codes. The far-reaching con-
sequences of the boards criticisms can
only be partially evaluated at this
time, but the celebrity Of the Johnson
action In meeting some of the charges
by the board has led to more than
sprinkling of suggestions that it may
be the beginning of the end for NRA.
General Johnson explained. in re-
leasing the minor industries from the
codes, that they constituted too small
a part of the recovery program to war
rant the expense and time involved
in administering those codes. OF
course, he could not very we'll admit
that MIRA was failure insofar as the
"little fellows" are concerned, but
nevertheless there are plenty of OBJ
servers in Washington who so con-
strued his statement. The interesting
thing about 1t was that his announce
ment was made public after the
boards report had been sent to Presi-
dent Roosevelt and after the President
had submitted the document to NRA
for an analysis of the criticisms.
The board was convinced after hear
ing appeals for relief by compare
lively small number of individual bust
nesses that some of the codes were hav-
ing the opposite of the effect intended.
Evidence which it gathered seemed to
show that the little fellows" in the
business world were being stifled by
the larger units, and that was the
very thing which President Roosevelt
had hoped NRA would prevent.
1t Is to be remembered that the re-
view board never was wanted by Cen
eral Johnson and the NRA supporters.
The board was the brain-child of sew
eral senators and representatives who
had received so many complaints from
the little fellows" that they felt the
urge to demand some means of review
of NRA policies and codes. Its origin
might be assumed to have caused the
board, headed by Clarence barrow of
Chicago, to feel its mission was one
of protection for the little fellow. Hav-
ing watched it operate as a hearing
body. l think I can say its members
tried to maintain an open mind. On
one occasion, I recall, the board did
not mince words in telling the repre-
sentative of a small business that he
could expect no help from it until his
own linen had been washed of chisel-
ing and sharp practice.
Thus, the board catapulted hand
full of red hot Goals into the political
arena. Mr.. Roosevelt lodged the first
bombshell by sending the report to At
torney General Cummings, to the Fed
eral Trade commission and to Cen
eral Johnson for what he called ian
analysis" Newspaper correspondents
thought they could analyze the thing,
but they did not get the opportunity.
Their discussion these days gives rise
to the thought that they will be sitting
around awaiting chance to "analyze"
it to the full extent Of their powers
when they do get hold of it.
Political leaders among those op-
posed to MIRA appear to be delighted
with the sudden turn Of events. Any
official criticism of NRA, they declare,
will give them license to voice their
own views as well as to repeat what
the official agency had to say about
that phase of the administrations pro-
gram.
AS a result of the fresh outburst of
trouble for MIRA, I made a number
of inquiries around
Business MIRA headquarters
Confused which are continu-
ously crowded with
representatives of businesses who are
seeking to find out what to do. These
individuals, to man, were thoroughly
confounded and confused. They were,
in many instances, unable to deter
mine what to do as to many business
practices; they could not get complete
instructions or interpretations, nor
were they able to learn the MIRA atti-
tude in an advisory way on PROPOSE
tons on which they desired rulings.
Having observed the job that General
Johnson and his NRA staff is trying
to do, can understand why these
various questions can not be answered.
They simply have so much work to do
that it is almost a physical impossi-
bility to get 1t done. But to me, that
fact tells the story of the weakness
inherent in any attempt to codify prac-
tees Of businesses, national in scope,
from a Washington bureau.
AS an exposition Of the problem in
another way, learned that one great
corporation is operating under 81