The Butler County press. [volume] (Hamilton, Ohio) 1900-1946, 1935-10-25


Atlantic City, N. J.-Cut-throat
competition in industry operates SO
disastrously on both business and la
Dor that representatives Of each
group should join with the govern
ment in serious attempt to eliminate
this anti-social business practice,
George L. Berry, recently named NRA
divisional co-ordinator for industrial
cooperation by President Roosevelt,
told the delegates to the 1885 conven-
tion of the American Federation of
Labor here in an address outlining the
functions of his new office.
Following the decision of the United
States Supreme Court declaring the
national industrial recovery act un-
constitutional, the president reached
the conclusion that the cut-throat pol
icy which was curbed by the compul-
sorry NRA codes might be consider
ably restricted by voluntary trade
agreements under the sponsorship of
the federal trade commission, with
possible inclusion of labor provisions
in the pacts.
In explaining the task which the
president asked him % undertake,
Major Berry, who IS also president of
the Printing Pressmen and Assist
ants international Union and a mem
Der Of the American Federation of
Labor executive council, said:
II come to you today in rather
peculiar and extraordinary position, as
co-ordinator When | received the
information that the president had is
sued an executive order naming me as
the co-ordinator for industrial cooper
alton, Immediately called and inquir-
ed as to what this co-ordinator busi-
ness was, and he proceeded to tell me.
responded by saying, Yes, a co-ordi-
nator is very much like the innocent
bystander who attempts to compose
differences between families and is
usually the first fellow to be shot
THE president has indicated that
there shall be three functions of the
office. The first is that | shall under
take to stabilize and harmonic the
machinery of the present national re-
covery administration.
Scope of New Trade Agreements
Second, that I shall undertake with
the federal trade commission and
the national recovery administration,
the development of voluntary agree
ments in industry.
"A bridge has been developed be-
tween the federal trade commission
and the national recovery administra-
ton, and invitations to industry, man
agement and labor have been extended
to come and take advantage of the fa-
cilities and instrumentalities arranged
between the federal trade commits
sion and the national recovery ad-
ministration.
TO what extent this bridge will be
used is a difficult question to answer.
"The third function of this posi-
tion is to undertake to ascertain the
facts with regard to the attitude of
management and labor with respect to
the development of a permanent insti-
tuition that contemplates the salvag-
ing of what is good or what was good
in the national recovery act.
81 am certain that you all appre-
ciate the great task attendant upon
the fulfillment of the last named duty.
am without law in this instance. |
can't compel anybody to talk to me
in regard to the matter or developing
a law to be presented to the United
States congress.
CLOSING night before last | have
issued some $500 letters to manage
ment and labor. / am inviting them
to Washington to discuss the prob
lens of industry and to be able to
identify the facts, to find out if labor
and management want law perma-