Evening star., 1935-03-18
N. R. A. EXTENSION
Is ADVOCATED BY
S. CLAY WILLIAMS
Continued From First Page)

one of the authors of the inquiry.
was out Of town and wanted 10 be
on hand for Darrow's testimony
"For that reason and that reason
only Darrow is not being heard today"
Harrison said.
He said Darrow will appear We'd
nesday.
Sidney Hillman, another member Of
the board, was ready to follow VIII
liams.
Senator Walsh. Democrat. of Massa-
chusetts, recalling Williams state
ment last week that recovery was de-
pendent upon return Of confidence,
asked what was preventing the return
of such confidence.
Leaning back in his chair williams
said certain suspicious" that some
people Eanted the Government to take
over all businesms were partially re-
sponsible.
He repeated his assertion, In q re-
cent speech, that certain camp fol-
lowers had theories which lied well
beyond the administration purposes"
Walsh asked what was the matter
with the textile industry, saying, They
are even going so far as to tell us that
if within few weeks something isn't
done, 100000 workers in that industry
will be on the welfare rolls"
Productive Capacity Excess.
Williams, sitting now on the edge
of his chair. then leaning over the
table toward the committee, replied
there was high excess of productive
capacity" which presented unique
conditions in that industry.
Walsh asked if there was not a gen.
eral belief that there were too many
Government activities trying to do too
much"
Confning his reply to the activities
of N. R. A.. Williams said:
If in ~ r. A. We we're to get the
habit of shooting with rife instead
of a scatter-gun we would develop a
great deal of confidence.
Il don't know why when We start
to establish certain aims such as
minimum wages, maximum hours,
prevention of child labor and certain
trade practices, l don't know when
We start out to accomplish those ends
we shouldn't take rifle and shoot
at those ends, instead of using a
scatter-gun and taking in other OBJ
jectives that have caused trouble"
Senator King, Democrat, of Utah,
sought through questions, to prove
charges Of monopoly against N. R. A.
Williams, under Kings inquiries,
-
Board had from time to time" been
critical of price fixing provisions in
the codes and charged they tended to-
ward monopoly. He added, however,
that the consumers board vas "a
pressure group, representing a special
group" as were also the labor and in
dustrial boards.
Williams said he vas opposed to
price fixing. if the price is lifted above
the normal price for that product"
Price Fixing Limit.
I'VE cannot justify going into the
price territory any further than neces-
sary to eliminate unfair practices TO
meet social requirements of the bill"
Williams added. I'm for going that
far
King protested that Williams was
taking too lonS to answer questions
which could be answered by yes" or
mo" The Senator asked If N. R. As
failure definitely to settle its policy on
price fixing had not added to The con-
fusion and uncertainty of business"
1T has failed to alleviate what con-
fusion and uncertainty there was"
Williams agreed.
King asked # in many instances N.
r. A. had not been ''coerced or black
lacked" into approving some codes
by threats that industries would not
accept codes Unless they contained
price-fixing provisions.
'I don't think anybody was ever
black lacked into anything" Williams
replied, adding that industries had
used all the persuasive arguments"
they could find.
Senator Co1nally, Democrat, OF
Texas asked II the mail-order houses
were under codes. The witness said
they were and that Sears, Roebuck q
Co. was subject to ~ codes.
This brought q discussion OF the
connection between Robert Woods,
president Of Sears, Roebuck, and N.
r. A.
Senator Hastings, said he was the
window dressing" for the "a, $50, ,000-
900 work relief program.
BootIegging Admitted.
King asked If there had not been a
great many violations Of the price
provisions in the codes, resulting In
"bootlegging"
There has been some bootlegging,"
williams agreed.
Haven't these violations been rather
general2"
IF you approach the violations from
the number, they look numerous"
williams said. -If you approach them
on the percentage basis they look lot
less important. In some industries
compliance is almost perfect. In others
they are moving the other way too
fast to suit US" ~