Evening star., 1935-05-15
The N. R. A. Resolution.

Inc SenaIe aCteu yesterday Dy dn
overwhelming ajority to extend the
life of the N. R. A. until April /. 1886.
1t took this action In the face Of the
desire of the President to have legis-
lation passed granting an extension to
this New Deal experiment for another
two years. Donald r. Richberg. head
Of the N. r. A., in a speech to N. r. A.
workers not long before the Senate
voted, characterized the plan to pass
the joint resolution of the Senate as
complete folly" The Senate, how
ever, has been unable to see any justi-
fication for the passage of a new and
comprehensive law, to continue for
another two years, until it has some
kind of guidance from the Supreme
Court as to its conStitutionality. The
court is expected within the next two
or three weeks to hand down an opin-
ion in the Schechter case, which has
W QO Will tllc IN. N. n.
The Senate joint resolution, which
now goes to the House for action,
amends the present N. r. A. in two
major particulars. 1t prohibits any
price fixing under the codes of fair
competition, except in the case of
mineral resources. And 1t provides
that the codes shall not apply in any
business which is wholly" intrastate
The N R. A. has been sharply under
attack because of alleged price fixing
under the codes of fair competition
arrived at either directly or indirectly
Members of Congress, too, have in
sisted that the law must be amended
so as to limit the control of business
through N R A. to interstate busi-
ness. Congress has no authority over
intrastate business under the Consti-
tuition.
The validity OF the \. R. A. act
has been repeatedly attacked in the
lower courts, which in many cases
have held against the Government. In
view Of these decisions, members of
the Senate not unnaturally have come
to expect that the Supreme Court will
take a similar view of provisions of
the N. r. A. act and its administration.
Anyway, the Senate has definitely
gone on record as being unwilling at
this time to indulge in a general re-
drafting of the N. R A.
The attitude Of the Senate is that
il it is deemed advisable to extend
the N. R. A. further Congress can
take such action when it meets in
January, 1886, after it has had the
advantage of the Supreme Courts de-
cisions. Administration leaders in the
House are inclined to follow the Pres
ident and amend the Senate reSolu-
ton SO as to carry the N. R. A. until
June 16, 1887, and otherwise to modify
the law The present N. r. A. law
expires on June 16. one month from
tomorrow. Unless there is decided
change in sentiment in the Senate,
the extension of the N. r. A. until
April l next year is all that the ad
ministration can expect at this time.
If June 16 passes with no new legis-
lation dealing with N. r. A. on the
statute books, that governmental
agency goes out of existence.
Perhaps some compromise more
satisfactory to the administration may
be worked out, which will have suffi-
cient backing In the Senate to enable
it to pass. The Senate Democratic
leaders have at least achieved a dis
tinct advance toward N. r. A. legiSla-
ton when, in an incredibly short
time, they passed the joint resolution.
An attempt to pass the administra-
tons N. r. A. measure through the
Senate would have resulted in a long
debate and a real struggle, for the
N. r. A. has many critics on both
sides of the chamber. The quick and
almost unanimous action Of the
Senate, however should be sufficient
warning to the House not to monkey"
too much with the buzzsaw of Senate
unlimited debate.