, 1935-02-20
WASHINGTON

BY George Dunno
CamOufiage - Beleaguered labor
StrategiSts are reporting TO head
quarters there Is a trick in the re-
cent administration deployment TO
the right.
Older heads Of the American
Federation Of Labor are counSeling
that President Roosevelt Is making
liS gestures 70 big industry In the
hope OF lulling them 70 sleep until
NRA has been extended another
two years.
II and when congress stretches
the life OF the Blue Eagle, they say.
The White House will renovate the
automobile and cigarette codes and
otherwise give the worker a break.
Skeptlcs-The more rambunctious
union men are pressing the ques-
ton whether the pardon won't come
TOO late. This younger element has
been left cold BY the promises that
temporary code extensions 70 June
i6 were a matter Of eXpediency
which would be corrected as a re-
suit OF further Investigations now
in progress. June 10 Is the date Of
the National Industrial Recovery
Acts expiration and labor leaders
are fearful that wage and hour
schedules will become well planted
by that date.
Adding 70 the anxiety Of A. r.
OF T. officials are the beariSh re-
ports being put out oy the employ
ers. The bosses are whispering
through a megaphone they expect
70 be clipped for large concessions
when the new NRA Act becomes ef-
fective.
AS one high spokesman for labor
put II. we hear the cry wolf. but
we're afraid that the shepherds are
giving us a phoney."
Red-An added irritation for the
unions Is the presidential oder
which directed the Federal Trade
Commission 70 continue its inveStl-
cation OF labor costs. profits and
investment OF the textile industry
10 cover the last four months OK
1884
The Trade Commission already
has made public three reports on
this score for a 21-mOnth period
from Jan. !. 1888 to August 81. 1884.
Both the employers and workers
claimed vindication aS q result
but the employers got the MIRA 70
ask that the inquiry be brought
down TO the end OF the year. In
July and August 1884 the Industry
showed losses after a relatively
profitable period. The workers
struck IN September and tied up
the mills for nearly a month. which
should show red on the balance
sheet.
Word is being circulated by A. +.
OF II. men-take II for what u II
worth-that the Trade Commiss on
rushed its preliminary reports when
Il learned the industrlal.sts were
working through NRA for an extern
sion OF the inquiry. II will be early
April before the final report Il COM
piled.
Relaxed - Representatives. or the
three big ~Shipbuilding companies
charged with collision in parceling
out Navy bids have pulled a series
Of quotations out OF President RooSe-
velt's own mouth as a defense.
One OF the ship men under SUD-
pOena by the senate munitions COM
mittee saws he will quote 10 his in
quisit0rs the statement President
Roosevelt made on June l6, 1888,
when he s.gned the National Indus
trial Recovery Act. III will DE read,
Vith extraneous ~deletionS, as fol-
lows:
The law I have just signed was
passed 10 put people back TO work. -.
l have also Just release x or $780,
o 10000 for the navy to start build
ing ships under the London treaty.
1T dhe MIRA Is a challenge TO
industry which has long insisted
that, given the right TO act in uni
son, Il could do much for the gen.
eral good which hitherto has been
unlawful. From today It has that
right.
Il had part In the great copera-
ton Of 1917 and 1918 and 1t is my
faith that we can count OH our in
dustry once more 10 join In our gen.
eral purpose to lift this new threat
and to do 1t without taking any all
vantage Of the public trust VIII
has this day been reposed WITH
stint In the good faith and high
purpose Of American business.
1T Uhe law is. further. a chal-
lenge to administration. We are re-
taxing some Of the safeguards OF the
antitrust laws. -"
Gouge - Contracts were signed
with the navy by New York ship
building. Newport News sh4pbuild-
ing. and Bethlehem Shlpbuilding
companies about two months later.
The senate committee has developed
evidence they got together and par
cled out the business in advance Of
the bids.
Shipping men Z going TO lean
heavily on President RooSevelt's re-
marks about permitting acts hitherto