Evening star., 1935-03-26
PRESIDENT ORDERS
NEW DRIVE TO END
CODE UNCERTAINTY
District Attorneys Told to
Enforce Provisions of
N. R. A. PaCtS.
CAMPAIGN IS REVEALED
IN LETTER TO RICHBERG
Roosevelt Denies Any Relaxation
Will Be Tolerated While Future
of Agency Is Uncertain.
BY the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
Prompt and vigorous action by
United States attorneys to halt
NJ R. A. code violations was directed
by President Roosevelt today in a
letter urging legislative speed Ito end
a period of uncertainty" as to the
Blue Eagles future.
He wrote Donald r. Richberg,
N. R. A. chairman, that this 'uncer-
tainty has retarding effect upon in
dustrial recovery and tends to un-
settle commercial and labor rela-
tions."
Mr.. RooSevelt's letter was in reply
to one from Richberg, which said that
in some sections and in some in
dustries violations have been increas-
ing Of the wage and hour provisions
of the codes because of the mistaken
feeling that N. r. A. may not be ex-
tended and that the Government may
not be inclined at the present time
vigorously to enforce code require
mentS"
"No Excuse for Failure"
Simultaneous with publication of
Mr. RooSevelt'S reply that there is no
excuse whatsoever" for failure to OBJ
serve codes. the Justice Department
announced it would seek dismissal of
the only N. R. A. test case now before
the Supreme Court. that involving
William E. Belcher, Alabama lumber
mill operator. Attorney General
Cummings and Solicitor General
Stanley S. Reed termed this appeal
unsatisfactory" The Birmingham
Federal District Court has declared
N. r. A. unconstitutional.
The statement issued by the JUS
tice Department said the lumber code
involved in the Belcher case con-
tains administrative provisions pc
culiar 70 itself with respect 70 the
extension If discretionary powers to
non-gover1mental agencies fact
which was emphasized many times in
the recent Senate committee hear
ings and Whicn set this code in a class
by itself"
After noting that the N. r. A.
Board planned to revise this feature
OF all codes Under the new legisla-
ton. the Justice Department said:
"Other cases in which these cbiec-
tions do not axist are being pressed
in several of the circuits in order that
decision Ct the appellate court may
be secured as soon as possible.
No Relaxation.
Meanwhile and pending desirable
amendments to the lumber and tim
ber products code. there will be no
relaxation in the enforcement of other
codes"
The Attorney General said United
States district attorneys have been re-
quested to continue code enforcement.
This was in line with the Presidents
letter.
The text of President Roosevelt's
letter. as made public by Richberg,
follows:
Before leaving Washington I wish
to answer your letter of today and
to express to the National Industrial
Recovery Board my desire that the
full power of the National Recovery
Administration shall be exerted to
insist upon and to obtain compliance
with the requirements of approved
codes of fair competition.
There Is no excuse whatsoever at
the present time for members of trade
and industry who have sponsored and
are subject 10 these codes to fail to
give them wholehearted support.
Nor can there be any Justification
for the bad faith involved in attempt
ing to lengthen hours or reduce wages
contrary to code requirements.
Asks Justice Aid.
"I am particularly requesting the
Department of Justice to give every
assistance in maintaining compliance
with the codes and in advising the
district attorneys throughout the coun-
try to take prompt and vigorous action
TO prevent or to punish such violations.
Let me also suggest that the Ma
tional Industrial Recovery Board
should bring the facts of this situ-
alton to the attention of the Appro-
pirate Committees of the Senate and
the House of Representatives SO that
they may understand the Importance
of accelerating action 10 extend the
national industrial recovery act and
to end period of uncertainty as to
the provisions and the extension of
the law which has a retarding effect
upon industrial recovery and tends to
unsettle commercial and labor rela-
tions."