The Waterbury Democrat., 1935-12-17
| BEHIND | THE SCENES |
 IN WASHINGTON
What an Astounding Change Two Years Can Bringi |. Look Back at the GIOries of MIRA in 1888 and Then Note Its Sorry End .. Rat tie of Last Clod ResOunds in Major Berry's Ears.
BY RODNEY BUTCHER Democrat Washington
 C0rreSnOndentl

and 1884, with all their ballyhoo and fervor and commotion, is im- pressed almost awesomely by the fact that times and the customs of the times do change.
 It seems almost incredible that Hugh Johnson and Donald Rich berg could have lived the big mo- ments of their lives and passed from the scene to write their mem- oirs and that so soon there could be so sorry spectacle as was just observed in the attempt of Maj. George L. Berry to make 8 stew from the Blue Eagles bones.
 The baffled administration still wishes something could be done about unemployment. The great difference now is that big business, when asked to cooperate, just thumba its nose.
 One calls to mind the big ''gold- fish bowl" meeting of summer, 1883, to launch thre first code-cotton textilese. General Johnson grimly banged the gavel and we were oil.
 Non-co-operators were then es. timated at about 10 per cent. They were the "chiselers," the sweat shoppers, the price-cutters and they = on the generals own word were doomed to economic obliv- ion because government was going to help the honest 90 per cent po- lice the situation, restore purchas- ing power, make labor happy, and re-employ 5,o00,000 at once.
 What 8 happy world this would be under a parnership of govern ment, industry. and labor!
 Those Were Great Days
 One remembers how Secretary Frances Perkins, at another big ses- sion, lectured the seel industry as to its dutiese to labor and the re- covery cause, with a pile of im- pressive statistics, and how in1por- tant it all seemed to be at the time.
 Meanwhile, the hotels here were jammed and every other large suite or small ballroom was, full of men making codes. The Com merce building came to be known as the MIRA building and many young whippersnappers who had lost jobs in industry received high sounding titles and large sal- ariese and became almost inacceS- sible and insufferably arrogant.
 Many "lousy" codes went through, but they could be operated on later. At this time you could still get mighty cheer just by mention- ing Roosevelt.
 Then the Bottom Fell Out
 By February, 1884, there was 50 much dissatisfaction that Johnson called his famous "squawk meeting" and there was another mammoth session in industry and labor.
 You could still get MyrOn Tay- Tor of U. s. Steel and Bob Lund
 of the National Manufacturers
 Association on the same platform
 with John Lewis, Bill Green, and
 Sidney Hillman, but you couldn't
 get much applause for Johnson
 when he mingled welcome of
 criticism wiht assurance thtat the
 critics were scoundrels.
 A few days later about 5000 code authority members were gathered in and Roosevelt person. ally pleaded for 10 per cent short- CT hours and 10 per cent higher wages. The band had to play the "Star-Spangled Banner" after he finished, to create an illusion of applause.
 NRA went to pieces that sum- mer and finally Johnson bade farewell at 8 mass meeting of MIRA employees at which many wept, and a board took charge in vain attempt to pick up the pieces.
 Congress plucked the Blue Eagle bare, the supreme court cut it's throat, Roosevelt decided 1t was more liability than asset and Berry, an old line labor leader with politi- cal ambitions, eventually inherited the bones.
 One Grand FiascO
 All those memories flashed through many minds as Berry