Evening star., 1935-02-20
Continued From First Page.)
giving unemployment to approxi-
mately 100000 people.
Child Labor Curse
Has Reen Lifted,

SNliu LaDOE tuISS
Has Been Lifted.
In our progress under the act
the age-long curse of child labor
has been lifted, the sweatshop out
lawed, millions of wage earners have
been released from the starvation
wages and excessive hours of labor.
Under it q great advance has been
made in the opportunities and as
surances of collective bargaining
between employers and employees.
Under it the pattern of a new order
of industrial relations Is definitely
taking shape.
Industry as whole has also
made gains. 1t has been freed-in
part, at least-from dishonorable
competition brought about not only
by overworking and underpaying
labor. but by destructive business
practices. We have begun to de-
velop new safeguards for small
enterprises, and, most important
of all, business itself recognizes
more clearly than at any previous
time in our history the advantages
and the obligations Of cooperation
and self-discipline. and the patri-
otic need of ending unsound
financing and unfair practices of all
kinds.
Hand in hand with the improv-
ing Of labor conditions and Of in
dustrial practices we have given
representation and consideration to
the problems Of the consuming
public. And it is reasonable to
state that with certain inevitable
exceptions in the case of individual
products there has been less goug-
ing in retail sales and prices than
In any similar period of increasing
demand and rising markets.
500 Codes Added
Since July, 1888.
The first codes went into effect
In July, 1888. Since then approx
nately 800 have been, added. The
average age Of these codes Of fair
competition which have been ap-
prove0-90 per cent of the cover
able employments were under code
lis less than II months-a brief
time indeed for the definite achieve
ments already made. Only carpipg
critics and those who seek either
political advantage or the right
again to indulge in unfair prac-
tices or exploitation of labor or
consumers deliberately seek to
quarrel over the obvious fact that
a great code of law, of order and
Of decent business cannot be Gre
ated in q day or year.
We must rightly move to correct
some things done or left undone.
We must work out the co-ordina-
ton of every code with every other
code. We must simply procedure.
We must continue 70 obtain cur
rent information as to the work.
ing out of code processes. We must
constantly improve personnel
which, Of necessity, was hastily as
sembled, but which has given loyal
and unselfish service to the Gov
ernment of the country. We must
check and clarity such provisions
in the various codes as are plz-
cling to those operating under
them. We must make more and
more definite the responsibilities
of all Of the parties concerned.
This act, which met in its prin-
ciples with such universal public
approval and under which such
great general gains have been
made, will terminate on June 16
next. The fundamental purposes
and principles Of the act are sound.
To abandon them is unthinkable.
It would spell the return OF indus
trial and labor chaos.
I therefore recommend to the
Congress that the national indus
trial recovery act be extended for q
period Of two years.
Further Defining
OF Policy Urged.
1 recommend that 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 execu-
ton Of the law, thus profiting by
what we have already learned.
Voluntary submission of codes
should be encouraged, but at the
same time, If an industry fails vol
unfairly to agree within itself,
unquestioned power must rest In
the Government to establish IL
any event certain minimum stand :
ards Of fair competition in COM
mercial practices, and, especially,
adequate standards in labor rela-
tions. For example, child labor
must not be allowed to return;
the fixing of minimum wages and
maximum hours Is practical and
necessary.
The rights of employees freely to
organize for the purpose Of COL
leotive bargaining should be fully
protected.
The fundamental principles of
the antitrust laws should be more
adequately applied. Monopolies
and private price fixing within in
dustries must not be allowed nor
condoned. mo monopoly should
be private.s But I submit that in
the case of certain natural re-
sources, such as coal, oil and gas,
the people of the United States
need Government supervision over
these resources devised, for the
purpose of eliminating their waste
and of controlling their output and
stabilizing employment in them, to
the end that the public win be
protected and that ruinous price
cutting and inordinate profits VIII
both be denied.
We must continue to recognise
that incorrigible minorities within
an industry. or in the whole fed
of trade and industry. should not
be allowed to write the rules Of
unfair play and compel all others
to compete upon their low level.
We must make certain that the
privilege Of cooperating to prevent
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