, 1935-06-06
y
Nv Raw Thicker

A1NA ~ RANoAANAAA > W.
nomic aides are compiling Stats
tics these days to show how high
and wide and handsome the Blue
Eagle flew before It's wings we're
clipped. The White House has ask
ed Tor a survey on the gains IN pro-
duction, construction. payrollS and
prices which may have resulted
from the Mr..
Though the reports may be used
Tor political purposes they are sup
posed to be factual. They are bas-
ed on researches OF the Federal Re
serve Board. the Bureau OF Labor
Statistics and a private corporation
whose finding are generally accepted
as authentic. They have been
weighted and timed to show condi-
tions as they existed when the Blue
Eagle first peeped and when II ex-
pired from a judicial shot.
II viii be some time before they
are tabulated. Such unexpected de-
velopments as strikes, slashes in
wages and prices and market eau
ton introduce undecipherable fac
tors. But the administration is sat
isfied with the preliminary reports.
Slender - NRA did not swing into
action until August 1888 - nor for
some months thereafter with respect
70 basic industries. But August Of
1888 is accepted as a starting point.
and late May Of 1885 as the death
gasp.
Here are the preliminary figures
on conditions as they were when
the Blue Eagle was born and when
II died. Except for commodity
prices, for which the 100 level Is
1925, the others are related TO the
l923-l925 basis OF 100. In August
Of 1888 the adjusted and seasonal
index figures showed: Manufactur-
ing production. SO: mineral produc-
ton. 81; all construction. "a: fac
tory employment. rs; factory pay
rolls, 81; prices. 20.
The index figures when the Blue
Eagle died were Manufacturing
production IS; mineral production
IS: all construction. 25.5; factory
employment. 8i5: factory payrolls.
70: prices. rs. There viii. be endless
argument over what these figures
mean, but there they areI
Cuts - Chaotic and changeable
costs OF domestic products caused BY
the NRA scrapping may play havoc
with our relations with foreign
countries. The prospective revision
OF American scales Of wages and
prizes constitutes a threat to several
moves toward better trade relations.
The cabinet committee now in
veStigating complaints against
cheap Japanese textile imports may
have to quit. II had planned to sub
init It's report on June Is. But shift
ing prices and wages resulting from
freedom from NRA restrictions
changes the whole picture before
them. Low wages in the Orient may
not constitute such a serious threat
as they Gid before our textile in
dustry slashed pay and extended
hours.
Secretary Hulrs reciprocal trea-
ties may require revision. They
were negotiated Oh the basis OF code
prices. Widespread price-cutting
may prove that somebody made a
bad bargain In signing these agree
ments
Votes - BY stating that il is now
a question whether the government
has power to regulate crop produc-
tion. the president shrewdly lines
up farm sentiment with labor e
timent in behalf OF the New Deal.
The farm vote Of 8 10 / in favor Of
AAA Is being emphasized for its ef-
feet upon congress. Roosevelt'S re-
mark Is calculated to get a rise out
OF farmers In his defense OF the new
AAA amendments.
While this is going on Roosevelt
supporters in the house. including
Chairman McSwain. are trimming
down the IVA extension bill. against
White House wishes. The iva lob
by Is big and busy. IL works with
the anti-utility -holding lobby.
IL was very hard TO make pro-
greSs on New Deal bills before the
supreme court decision. Remember
that this was because OF powerful
out not always public democratic
q position. Now these bills face a
nuch rocker road. Roosevelt there
fore exertS his political skill in rous-
hg the elements that would gain
by passing these bills.
Winner Secretary Ickes is
Thanking his stars for his divorce
Of PWA from NRA. Only a few
weeks before the hostile Richberg
outfit wns sunk without a trace Mr..
Ickes persuaded congress To sepa-
rate his spending agency from the
Blue Eagles family.
Some back-Stage jealousy attend
ed the ceremony. Mr.. Richberg
fought the scheme for two years.
II clipped him Of power and II cast
a shadow on the NRA. But Mr..
.ckes may have had inside informa-