Evening star., 1935-03-07

sions and language would be most
desirable"
"They are intended" he said, "as
an outline of those recommendations
upon which there is q general accord
and which may involve a minimum
Of controversy. They are regarded
as practically necessary, in the light
of experience. to the continued and
improved functioning of the N. r. A.
If they are adopted, they should
aid to strengthen the exercise of the
Federal authority within a definite
area wherein it is urgently required;
while at the same time removing
many fears, either of undue extension
of governmental authority, or of the
illegal exercise of private economic
controls to the injury OF the public
interest"
Arguing that the validity Of law de-
pends upon public opinion, Richberg
said that when the Supreme Court Is
called upon to answer the question,
Is this law a reasonable exercise OF q
power clearly conferred, it is not the
individual opinion of the single Judge.
but the propondering public opinion,
which should be decisive"
"Of the antitrust laws. he said:
"Our legislative, administrative and
judicial efforts to enforce the principles
Of the antitrust laws have been de-
ceitful failure, continuing public in
Jury for IS years. They have been
deceitful because they have held out
the promise of protection from mo-
nopoly and restraint Of trade, while IN
fact they have not supplied any OF
that.
For the first time we have acquired
the ability now to give an honest pro-
lection to workers and consumers
against the abuses Of economic power
1t would be well to preserve this new
found ability and to use 1t effectively.
Richberg grouped complaints against
N. r. A. under five heads, giving per-
sonal comments on them:
Complaints Of non-eniorcement-
considering the millions Of employees
affected, it is evident that the labor
provisions of the codes have been gen.
orally complied with"
Complaints of individual hardship
and injustice: Necessarily the effort
to establish industrial codes would
produce many cases of individual in
Jury. Over LII exemptions
from the operation Of specified code
provisions have been granted"
Complaints of monopolistic prac-
tices and oppression OF small enter
prises The general proposition that
the effect Of the codes upon small
enterprises has been harmful. can not
be sustained. The steady decline OF
business failures is a complete
refutation Of this charge"
Doubts Consumers Injured.
Complaints of injury to consumers
"The question of the effect upon con-
sumers of the codes is one concerning
which there may be endless argument.
He then quoted DR.. Frederick G. Mills
of the National Bureau of Economic
Research, as saying that the price
movements have been "salutary."
Complains of management and labor
against each other and against N
r. A.: 1.-THE great difficulty en-
countered by NJ r. A. in the field OF
labor relations has resulted from the
absence Of an adequate organization
Of labor in the United States. The
major issues regarding terms and
conditions Of employment should be
settled by collective bargaining be-
tween employers and employees. It is
certainly wiser for the Government
to help bring about the fixing Of
hours, wages and other labor condi-
tions by such processes, than to sub
stitute political action for private bar
gaining in the regulation of labor
conditions.
1T is, however, fair to state that,
with codes covering substantially 80
per cent Of their possible coverage,
with hundreds Of thousands of sep
arate enterprises and over 100000
employees affected, the comparatively
small volume Of complaints and the
record of their disposition will show
that any sweeping indictment Of the
N. r. A. as failure or as having
operated contrary to the public inter-
est, can not be sustained"