Evening star., 1935-03-08
Senate Committee Told
Trade and Industry Are
Slowing Up.
DROPPING OF CODES
TOLD BEFORE THR0NG
Neither Trade Commission Nor
Commerce Department Equipped
to Administer Act, He Says.
By the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
A warning that delays and uncer-
tainties over N. R. A. legislation were
slowing up trade and industry was
given the Senate Finance Committee
today by Donald Richberg, director
Of the National Emergency Council
His statement was made to an
overf1oWing committee room as he
pivoted in his chair to answer ques-
tions in a searching croSS-eXamina-
tion by the committees entire mem
bership.
Talking in an easy voice and ges-
turing. he put squarely on Congress
the Job of cutting down the vast code
structure along administration-rec-
commended lines of holding future
codification to industries engaged in
or affecting interstate commerce.
This was his reply to the commit
tees request for a list of codes to be
dropped under the new definition.
Eight Codes in Discard.
But first Richberg listed eight codes
affecting 1,875,000 employees which al
ready have been partially or entirely
suspended by administrative action.
The recovery co-ordinator said codes
for barber shops and laundrieS, with
their 433,00O workers, were not in
operation today. Then he named
seven other service trades codes affect
ing nearly 100000 workers, which
he said had been suspended except as
to minimum wages, maximum hours
and labor's collective bargaining guar
antee.
These codes, together with the num-
Der of employees affected, were listed as
follows:
Cleaning and dyeing, 10000; hotel
and restaurants. 100000; motor We
hicle storage, 100000: advertising dis
play, 1000; advertising distribution.
100000; bowling and billiards, 160,-
600. and shoe rebuilding, 10000.
During the examination, Richberg
said neither the Federal Trade Com
mission nor the Commerce Depart
ment was equipped to administer
the recovery act Transfer of N. r.
A. to one of these agencies had been
suggested by some Senators.
Authorship Of Codes.
Richberg testified that neither the
charge that the Government wrote
the codes nor that the dominant large
groups in industries wrote them was
correct. He said the codes usually
were presented by trade associations
or Code Committees, in which inde-
pendent groups were represented.
But" he added, mot single code
was adopted in the form it was
brought in" because they were sub
jected to criticism from the labor,
consumer and industrial boards.
WAS any attention paid to the
recommendations of the Labor or
Consumer Boards?" Senator Costigan.
Democrat, of Colorado, asked.
Continually" Richberg replied,
adding that codes were often held up
for weeks to consider their proposals.
Costigan said there was IAN i'm
preston" the boards had not been
successful.
1T is not correct" Richberg re-
piled. "The achievements of both
were quite considerable"
Discussing the cotton textile code,
the first adopted, Richberg said its
provision for a 4O-hour week was a
major achievement" marking a
Landmark" in industrial relations.
Richberg contended N. r. A. had
brought a tremendous increase in the
outlay by industry for wages and re-
suited in re-employing 100000 men.
But under close cross-examination
by Senator La Toilette, Progressive, of
Wisconsin, he conceded also that the
pressure under which the codes were
drafted resulted in approval of many
codes with doubtful provisions
Senator Black. Democrat, of Ala
bama, asked what definite formula
had been followed to prevent large
concerns dominating small ones and |
imposing codes on the latter. He |
referred specifically to the steel code. |
Session Crowded Early.
Even before today's session started,
the doors to the big marble lined |
committee room were closed and |
Capitol police told eager spectators
there was no more room.
Richbefg again was surrounded by
q battery of associates and aides, in
Guiding S. Clay Williams, chairman of |
the Recovery Board.
John L. Lewis, bushy-browed leader |
Of the United Mine Workers, was in |
the front row of spectators.
Most Of the spectators hearing the
director of the Emergency Council |
were women. Almost the full commit |
tee engaged in the cross-examination. |
Richberg testified there had been
serious legal question as to the extent |
the Government could go in code rule
Our recommendation" he said, |
"would be that you should ascertain
how far 1t is desirable and practicable
to regulate conditions"
Richberg said court decisions de-
pended to some extent upon public
opinion.
Some court decisions" Richberg
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