The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1934-03-09

LUZ 4oOUI 011V UlOuoVIy AdS AsS ASye
stone in the National Recovery Adj
ministration. The CWA, PWA, and
other job relief, pump priming.
money-pouring agencies now are at
tracing most attention, but NRA Is
the vehicle Of industrial planning and
Roosevelt has promised that 1t Is here
to stay.
Last spring labor was groaning un-
der unemployment, part-time work,
slasted wages. Industry was suffer-
Ing from cut-throat, below cost COM
petition. declining prices: and dwind-
ling demand.
Business men, admitting the mess
eminent supervision.
NRA wasn't originally Roosevelt
plan, though it gave him vast grant
Of power over industry, made codes
subject to his approval. and empow-
cred him to bar corporations or In
dividuals from doing business II they
persistently violated codes.
It grew from the Black 30-houY
week bill and an industrial demand
for relaxation Of antitrust laws.
\ \ X
FAIR COMPETITION SOUGHT
The objective. in Roosevelt's words
was "a great cooperative movement
throughout all industry to obtain
wide unemployment, pay q decent
wage for q shorter work week, pre-
vent unfair competition and disas-
trous overproduction," and establish
purchasing power to start the wheels
Of industry"
The codes were to substitute fair
competition for free competition. Sub.
mitted by industry, but subject to la
Dor scrutiny before official approval,
each must contain maximum hour
and minimum wage provisions as well
- stipulation that employees might
Organize and bargain collectively
through representatives Of their own
choosing" And codified industries
were exempted from antitrust laws.
It was decided to get as many In
dustries as possible under codes as
quickly as possible and correct mis-
takes later. The result Is that. In
dustries virtually have written their
own codes and some important NRA
detectives have been achieved only
partially.
JOHNSON DOES GOOD JOB
Codification was 30 slow that MIRA
was supplemented by PRA last sum-
mer, when employers Of an estimated
100000 persons signed temporary
Blue Eagle agreements with Roose-
welt, promising certain minimum
wages and maximum hours. Despite
plenty Of chiseling, these agreements
still are In effect.
General Johnson, whether you like
him or not, has made an amazingly
good stab at the job Of organizing,
coding and supervising 1000 indus
tries with normal 1900, 900 workers
Including hundreds Of thousands OF
small businesses.
You can't segregate. the effects Of
MIRA on recovery from effects 81
other policies ana factors. You know
It has almost eliminated child labor
strengthened unions, allowed trade -
sociations TO govern prices, eliminat-
ed much cut-throat competition and
guaranteed maximum hours, minimum
wages. freedom to organise for per-
haps 30Oo0O 900 workers ana elimin-
lated many bad trade practices. Tho9l
are definite MIRA achievements.
+ = =
MILLIONS GET WORK
| Industrial activity stood ct SIS lAsl
March, rose to 0o6 In July, and nov
= slishtly above 70. The price 1psr'
J before the July crash WAS partly ds,l
to anticipation Of higher costs undel
MIRA and anticipation Of imitation.
u The A =. Of I. says there wen
100000 unemployed last March Z
TINT nearly 3000. 900 have sit,cs BEN
reahsoCbed ~ industry ana that -
0oo.0o0 lob have bean provided h
0WA. PWA and tn oOC.
! The average work week = ~
hours slAortsr and The Average hollrl,
waeD rate = ~ az opnts. ~ 81