Coulee City dispatch. [volume] (Coulee City, Wash.) 19??-19??, 1935-04-26
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National Topics Interpreted "a 61nM69@a
by William Bruckart TF1T76TTEX
Press Washin gton,D D.

Westinghouse appears that at last
all of those questions as to whether
the national indus
.s- NRA Up to trial recovery act is
Supreme Court constitutional are go
ing to be answered
by the Supreme court of the United
States. That is, they will be answered
by Supreme court decision unless
the moving spirits in NRA decide
again to dodge the issue as they once
have done.
Sometime ago w. E. Belcher, an
Alabama lumberman, ran afoul of
national recovery administration code
ruling and he was promptly prosecuted.
Lower courts decided adversely to the
government, however, and the MIRA
lawyers decided to appeal. They want
ed Supreme court decision. But be-
fore the case reached the stage of
argument before the highest court in
the land, the Department of Justice
suddenly withdrew the petition and an
nounced it's refusal to prosecute Mr..
Belcher any further.
There Immediately was set up far
flung cry accusing the MIRA and the
Department of Justice of being afraid
of constitutional test. Legal brains
of the Department of Justice stood pat
and offered no explanation, but MIRA
brain trusterS let it be known that
they preferred to avoid a test at this
time because of the imminent eXpira-
ton of the industrial recovery act.
They pointed out that the law expires
June 16 and that congress is now en-
gagged in consideration of revision.
The implication was that the MIRA be-
lfeved test in the Belcher case was
a waste Of time and money because of
the probability that Supreme court
decision would not be handed down
until after the present law was no
longer operative.
Now, however, the NRA authorities
think they have found the right kind
of case for constitutional test
They have announced they will fight
to have the act declared constitutional
in case in which the Schechter Live
IN.
accused of violating the poultry CODE
So instead of trying out the constitu-
tional question on boards, the brain
trusters are seeking decision on the
hen.
The whole situation is regarded by
observers as being much confused and
no one seems to knew exactly what il
behind the sudden reversal of position
on the part of MIRA and the Depart
ment of Justice lawyers except good
many folks thinkNthe NRA could not
stand the gaff of countrywide editorial
criticism. 1t is true that after aban-
donment of the Belcher case was an
nounced, nearly every important met
ropolitan newspaper in the country
printed editorial comment about the
action and little of it was favorable
to the MIRA. Examined from this
viewpoint then, there are some who
believe the administration was goaded
into constitutional test of NRA
Politically, the Department of JUS
tees determination to avoid test in
the Belcher case already is having re-
percussions. Barbs and backbiting are
coming not alone from Republican an
tagonists but from among Democrats
in congress as we'll. Senator Hastings,
a Delaware Republican, and Senator
Clark, Missouri Democrat, joined in
an effort to have Attorney General
Cummings reverse his position and
urged upon the head of the Depart
ment of Justice the necessity for clar-
ification of legal questions involved.
The administrations position also has
drawn fire from Republican Leader
Smell in the house and there are in
that body also certain of the so-called
progressives who have charged that
President Roosevelt is unwilling to
face the music in the Belcher case.
Economically, the decision to refrain
from pressing the Belcher case for
final adjudication by the Supreme
court has caused wave of uncertain
ty to permeate the business structure.
What the end is going to be, even
Donald Richberg, number one man in
MIRA, has avoided saying Since he
has not enunciated policies his subor-
dinates are afraid to move. Conse-
quently, according to some of the let
tiers now going out from the NRA to
business interests, the whole question
of codes and their enforcement frankly
can be said to be up in the air.
IF the NRA can be said to be I'D in
the air, the agricultural adjustment adj
ministration can be
AAA in said to be rudder
Trouble less ship. There is no
longer any doubt that
AAA policy is confused, not to say floun-
dering about in helpless fashion. 1t
has reached the stage where delega-
tons and individuals are arriving in
increasing numbers to wait on the
doorstep of Secretary Wallace and
Administrator Davis for advice as to
what the program is.
1t ought to be said just here that
Mr. Wallace and Mr.. Davis are show
ing signs of irritation and that is al
ways significant. 1t was only the other
day that group of farm organization