Evening star., 1935-03-29
HARRISON OFFERS
BILL TO EXTEND
TENURE OF N.R.A.
Senator Says Business and
Labor Should Know What
Is Planned.
OPERATION LIMITED
TO INTERSTATE TRADE
President Green of A. F. of L.
Backs Measure. but Adds De-
mand for 30-Hour Week.

The administration bill extending
the life of N. r. A. for two years was
introduced in the Senate today by
Chairman Harrison of the Finance
Committee, who acted almost imme-
diately after Senate investigators had
heard vigorous American Federation
of Labor support for President RooSe-
velts plea to continue the recovery
law
Senator Harrison in introducing the
bill drafted along lines recommended
by Mr. Roosevelt and Donald r. Rich
berg. N. R. A. chairman, said 1t was
essential that both business and labor
should know what is planned regard
ing extension of the N. R. A."
Labor Behind Plan.
Shortly before William Green had
nut the federation he heads Squarely
behind the extension plan, but de-
manded simultaneously 30-hour
work week law
The bill limits the operation OF the
N. R. A. to interstate commerce.,
Senator Harrison said. He added
that IN his opinion it should be SO
limited, and every provision of the
law which might be held unconstltu-
tional by the courts should be eliml-
mated
Section IA of the present law,
which guarantees the right of collec-
tive bargaining to the workers, re-
mains unchanged. he said.
The provisions relating to monop-
olies and enforcement of antitrust
laws have been changed, however. he
SAID.
In my opinion Harrison stated,
"the bill will be changed still fur
ther as in regards to monopolies."
He explained that the bill did not
do away with all price fixing under
the code.
Two Kinds of Codes.
The bill provides only two kinds of
codes of fair competition-the volun-
tary code and the limited code. 1t
carries no licensing clause. The pen
alties imposed have been considerably
reduced from existing law in accord
snce with suggestions of the President.
The Mississippi Senator predicted
the legislation would be expedited and
would be written into law before June
is when the existing law is due to
expire.
The bill introduced by Harrison
is still in tentative form. he said The
Finance Committee. before which
Green appeared in connection with
It's N. r. A. investigation, has not
yet had an opportunity to consider
the measure However, in an execu-
tive session today which Richberg
attended. the committee determined
that it would be better to have the
terms of the proposed bill made
public.
Impression Corrected
Harrison said an impression has
grown up that his committee merely
was conducting an investigation of
the N. R. A. under the Nye-McCarran
reservation. This is an error, he said,
because the committee, while pressing
its investigation of all the charges
contained in the reservation, at the
same time was intent upon preparing
legislation for continuation of the N
r. A. Harrison said the committee
would hold both morning and after
moo nsessions hereafter until it has
completed its investigation and has
the bill ready for report to the
Senate.
Green's testimony before the SEN
ate committee today refuted reports
that labor had abandoned the 30
hour week plan in order to get NJ
r. A. extended
The heavy-Set leader of organized
workers read prepared statement
contending the recovery program was
'the only plan which is available to
us at this time for the rehabilitation
OF our economic system"
But he diverted from his prepared
testimony to say that to make the re-
covery program fully effective" the
Black bill must be passed, putting the
six-hour day and five-day week into
all codes.
Refuses to Name Choice.
Chairman Harrison asked whether
labor would prefer the extension of
N. r. A. or the 30-hour-week bill.
VIC 1ldNC LV W Ildke a.
choice" Green replied.
But If there was a choice?" Har-
sison persisted.
There is no choice" Green replied,
stubbornly. I'VE ask for BOTH
This was one of the few INTERRUPT
tions in Green's prepared statement
The committee and an overflow crowd
listened quietly during the reading of
most of the document.
Green outlined four fundamental
purposes of N. r. A. from labor's
standpoint. He said the most i'm
portant was the right of collective
bargaining provided by section Ia.
Il shall not pretend" he said, that
labor has received the benefits which
were intended from section la"
But he added that N. r. A. was "the
first step in the establishment of real
collective bargaining" and "as such it
must not be underestimated: as such
1t has served great purpose"
N. r. A., Green asserted, has given
millions of workers "the legal right