The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1935-08-03
The Book World

A PLEA to all Jews to help solve the prob
n lem which threatens civilization is con-
tanned in the scholarly study Of Judaism by the
famed DR.. Mordecai NJ Kapian in his Judaism
as a Civilization" Macmillan; So.
DR.. Kaplan, for years professor of Homiletics
at the Jewish Theological Seminary, is regarded
by many influential rabbs and civic leaders as
being the greatest of American Jews. In his
volume he points toward a reconstruction of
American Jewish life, basing it primarily on
economic justice.
The author sees judaism not as a race or
religious creed, but as civilization and he urges
American Jewry to return to this ideal. actually
to build civilization within civilization.
And to meet the objections of jewish Amer
leans that such a civilization might weaken
their Americanism, DR.. Kaplan resoUrcefully
points out that Christianity, and especially
Catholicism are actually civilizations in them
selves and yet no Christian nor Catholic con-
sders his religious civilization to be in conf1iS
with his nationalism or local patriotism.
The depression, writes DR.. Kaplan. has struck
no people quite so hard as the Jews. The de-
preston he lays to the Sins of avarice, exploita-
ton and cruelty If the teachings of the Bible
are put into daily life. writes the author, the
problem before civilization is solved
Economic justice is the theme throughout
the book Of this great Jewish American. 1t is
a valuable contribution to American Jewish
literature and deserves reading by every one
deeply interested in religious affairs.
THEY didn't plan
i The business men who proposed the codes
had their eyes on short-run profits.
Johnson and Roosevelt rushed things through.
The Recovery Act was administered for recovery,
not for industrial planning.
This is part of the post-mortem conclusions
about NRA in industrial Planning Under
Codes" (Harpers) by George B. Galloway NRA
official, and a group of other NRA executives.
The book is better than the recent Brook
ngS Institution presentation and less bulky. Mr.,
Galloway has written four Introductory chapters
on the concept Of planning in industry and what
happened under the anti trust and Trade Com
mission acts. This is followed by Is chapters,
one each on IS major coded industries, reviewing
the experience under codes The legal basis of
planning and what happened to small business
are treated briefly.
The last chapter by Dr. Lewis Lorwin of the
International Labor office can ex-Brookings man,
by the way, contains Cogent suggestions as to
why NRA did all it could for recovery under the
circumstances, and what it could do if recog-
nized as the National Reconstruction Admin
istration."
Of course nothing much can be done about
business continue to accept the Supreme Courts
Schechter decision the coup de grace of gov
eminent action to bring order into the economic
system.
Mr. Lorwin finds that NRAs ailments were
haste in code making, bargaining group pres
sure which caused lack of uniformity fights be-
tween big and little and North and South
failure to make progress toward rational COL
lective bargaining system, inefectivenesS and
lack of consumer representation to protect the
public, completely of the business structure
restrictive concept of balancing supply and de-
mand. code authority domination by business
men with an eye on immediate profits, and lack
of planning ideas in NF2A itself
His program, aimed to eliminate sweat shop
competition in wage cutting, and promote better
ethical standards and reasonable prices, in
cludes
l. Public utility industries which could we'll
include coal and lumber, should be treated as
SUCH outside of MIRA, and entirely local indus
tries should be left to local agencies 2 There
should be a small number of codes, more nearly
uniform. 8. Impartial commissions of public
representatives and experts should be set up to
establish wage and hour standards, subject to
NRA, approval. 4. Collective bargaining should
be handled substantially as the Wagner Act has
directed, since this book went to press. 5. Trade
practice provisions should be simplifed.
6. Price fixing provisions should be eliminated.
Z. Code authorities should be more representa-
tive. 8. national industrial council should be
organized composed of representatives of code
authorities. consumers, labor and Government,
to meet twice annually to survey NRA and
recommend policies to Congress and to the
President.
The Macmillan Co., go Ffth-av New York City.
Harper & Bros, 40 E. 33rd-st, New York City.