Milford chronicle., 1935-05-31
NRA KILLED BY
SUPREME COURT
IConlinued from First Paael

which may have arisen by agree
ment of the parties requiring NJ
sanction of Federal authority"
Wide confusions and bewilder
ment followed the courts decision
delivered in the tense atmosphere OI
a crowded courtroom by Chief JUS
tice Hughes.
Sweepingly, he ruled that in the
A. L. A. Schechter Poultry Company
case, upon which the decision was
based, that Congress had no author
j ity to go into a community and tell
a poultry dealer whose activities did
not directly affect interstate COM
merce what wages he should pay his
help and how long they should
work.
The President hastily summoned
his chief legal aides and sought
without immediate success a means
of creating a new NRA on the de-
bris of the old.
New Dealers generally pOndered
apprehensively the possible effect of
the decision on other Administra-
| ton measures-the codes of AAA,
Federal control of the liquor indus
try and the Wagner Labor Disputes
bill, designed to supplement the fa-
nous section Ia.
Labor Disappointed
Labor was bitterly disappointed,
William Green, president of the
American Federation of Labor. has
tended to Washington, promising a
Canrrfnnn Nrinn
president Of the United Textile
Workers, warned that immediate
strikes would greet departures by
manufacturers from the textile
codes wage and hour provisions
the first of the blue eagle agree
ments established.
In his statement after the White
House conference, Richberg said:
I'VE face now the question of
maintaining the gains which have
been made in the last two years and
retaining the values which have
been created under the National Re-
cOvery Administration.
ut seems clear that that question
must be decided by the Administra-
tiOn and the Congress and the peo-
pie of the United States within a
very short time.
Pending the determination of
this question, it would be most
harmful to the general welfare II
unfair competitive practices, uni
versaIly recognized as such, we're to
be revived, and II the fair stand
ards affecting labor were to be dis
regarded.
Asks Employers Aid
Therefore, pending the determi-
nation of this question, hope that
all employers heretofore operating
under approved codes and all their
employees will cooperate in main
tanning those standards of fair COM
petition in commercial and labor re-
latiOns which have been written into !
the codes with practically universal
sanction, and which represent a
united effort to eliminate dishonest,
fraudulent trade practices and un-
fair competition in Over-wOrking
and under-paying labor"
The high courts decision. read by
Chief Justice Hughes before tense
courtroom into which crowded Rich
berg and other New Deal lights,
stirred the capital as has nothing
else for months.
Reading slowly and with empha-
sis. Justice Hughes marked out the
two main counts against the NRA.
At one point he said:
Extraordinary conditions may
HaunEw wns.nnHfoe
but the argument stops short Of
attempting 70 defend action out
side Of Constitutional authority.
@ExtraOrdinaFy conditions do
not create Constitutional power"
Spreading out from Hughes words
were a swift rush of developments,
statements of opinion and of ideas
as to what should be done to handle
The situation.
The House Ways and Means COM
mittee, in charge Of nOw-doomed ad-
plans for extending
NRA for two years in much it's old
form, met almost Immediately, but
adjourned with nothing accomplish
ed. It's chairman, DoughtOn. of North
Carolina, asserted: 1T will require
careful study"
Chairman Harrison of the Senate
Finance Committee emerged from
study of the opinion with an Opti-
nistic expression that something
night be salvaged. Senator Robin
ion, of Arkansas. the Democratic
eader. contehded 1T will not be ex-
difaeult to create a more
leiinite standard" The Senate has
llready approved a nine-mOnth ex-
ension, with NRA limited to inter-
tate business.
Plans New Legislation
81 think it possible to repair the
amage at the session" Harrison
old reporters. ''The decision great
Y clarifies the situation, and should
emOve those doubts so Congress
an proceed rapidly to re-enact ap-
ropFiate legislation.
ut is my opinion that the law
an and should be changed and eX-
ended adopting adequate amend
rents with reference to the dele
alton Of authority which the court
GEMS to have refused to accept,
nd secondly to restrict code opera
ons to transactions in interstate !
In other Congressional quarters, i
saction ranged from amazement at I
le sweeping nature OF the decision +
, glee at its purport and results, :
le latter especially among the Wes-
I'm Independents who have repeat