Evening star., 1935-02-20
Gains Dictate
Continuance.
He Asserts.
MESSAGE URGES
SOME CHANGES
CongressAdvised
Set Standards and
Define Policies.
BY G. GOULD LINCOLN.

President Roosevelt today called on
Congress to extend the national indus
trial recovery act for a period of two
years from June 16.
In a message read to both Houses
he declared: The fundamental pur-
poses and principles of this act are
sound. To abandon them is unthink-
able. 1t would spell the return of in
dustrial and labor chaos"
While admitting that there should
be amendments to the present law, the
President laid down certain specific
benefits which, he said. have accrued
and which must not be abandoned.
He listed among these the abolition of
child labor, the establishment OF max
imum hours of work and Of minimum
wages the right of the workers to col
lective bargaining and the freeing Of
industry from dishonorable competi-
ton.
ClarificatiOn Asked.
In its writing of the new law to ex-
tend the life of the N. R. A, the Presi-
dent recommended that 1.-The policy
and standards for the administration
of the act should be further defined in
order to clarity the legislative purpose
and to guide the execution of the law"
Under the new act, the President
said, the submission of voluntary codes
of fair competition by industries
should be encouraged. But, he added,
II an industry fails to come to an
agreement, unquestioned power should
rest in the Government to establish in
any event certain minimum standards
of fair competition in commercial
practices and adequate standards in
labor relations.
He reiterated a demand that the
rights of employees to organize freely
for the purpose of collective bargaing-
ing be fully protected. This would
mean a continuance of Section 7-A OF
the recovery act and perhaps its
further clarification and strengthen
ing.
Would Stop Monopoly.
He urged that the fundamental
principles Of the antitrust laws
should be more adequately applied,
saying that "monopolies and private
price fixing within industries must not
be allowed or condoned."
He declared that the people need
Government supervision Of certain
natural resources" He mentioned
coal, oil and gas as having taken on
this public interest. Whether Con-
gress will see fit to adopt or add to-
this list of natural resources requiring
Government supervision remains to
be seen.
The President recommended to
Congress that it should prevent 'in-
corrigible minorities" in industries
from playing the game unfairly and
thereby compelling others to compete
upon their low level.
At the same time Mr.. Roosevelt
warned that the privilege accorded |
industry to cooperate to prevent un-
fair competition must not be abused
or regarded as a license to strangle |
fair competition.
Small enterprises he said, "eSpe-
cially should be given added protection |
against discrimination and oppres-
SION"
Leaves Draft to Congress.
The Chief Executive sent no bill to
Congress to carry out his recon-
preferring to leave to Con-
gress the working out of the final de-
tails of the law to cover his recon-
mendations. He did say. however,
that he had received detailed recon-
mendations" along the lines of his
recommendation from the depart
ments and agencies of Government
now charged with the enforcement of
the national industrial recovery act
and these would be available for con-
sideration of the Congress. While the
President believed that they might be
helpful to Congress. he said that they
did not constitute q precise draft of
legislation.
Administration bills to cover other
recommendations submitted by the
President have gone forward promptly
in the past. One of the most recent
examples was the administration work
relief bill, over which the Senate is
struggling today.
A severe contest in Congress over
the proposal to extend or make
permanent the N. r. A. has been
forecast. 1t may be necessary for
the President to exert his powerful
influence to bring about the enact
ment of law satisfactory to the ad-
ministration.
In his message today, the President
praised highly the purposes of the
N. r. A. and declared 1t had brought
about substantial accomplishments.
He insisted that the national indus
trial recovery act was the biggest
factor in giving unemployment to
100000 people"
Under its operation, he said, both