The Waterbury Democrat., 1936-12-29

IN ONE ARENA Is Uncle Dan
Roper, herding troop OF big shot
induStrialists who perform under
the sonorous billing: The busi-
ness advisory council. The council
has no official standing, Us merely
q personal creation Of Uncle Dan
to enable him TO pose In the lime
light as a weighty New Deal fig
ure. The deliberations OF the
council are secret and Its findings
vague and innocuous.
A SECOND ARENA is occupied
by Major George Berry, engaged
In the dizzy feat Of trying to
marshal band Of laboriteS and
smaller business men into some
semblance Of unity and conference.
Berry,s performers also have a
high-sounding title, the council
of industrial progress. 1t has q
quasi official status and Its ses-
8ions are open. But It's results
are no more significant than that
OF it's rival ARTISTS" who, Incl
dentaIIy, view the Berryites With
superior disdain.
IN THE THIRD ARENA Is
Madame Secretary Frances Per-
kins. The labor department boss
iB q newcomer In the show. Her
first performance took place last
week, with an all-union cast. Like
Uncle Dams act, 1t also was be-
hind closed doors, and the re-
suits, similarly, very doubtful.
Detectives
The professcd aim of the three
side-shoWs Is identical: TO sub
NIT to the president plan for q
substitute MIRA.
Involved In such legislation are
the vital questions OF wage and
hour regulation, unionization,
child labor, fair trade practices.
But beyond the profcssed COM
mon objective, all harmony among
the three groups ends.
Rivalry and personal feelings
are hot and acrid. Each spies
on the others. Each, privately,
dlsparages the others. Each IN
vigorously cIbowIng the others
for the inside track 10 the
presidents ear.
Check and Double Check
When Miss Perkins held a con-
ference with the labor leaders,
a staff member Of Bcrrys coun-
Gil was anonymously present 10
report on what took place.
When Berry held his recent
two-day spectacle, Uncle Dan
and Mis- Perkins received con-
fidential reports on the meeting
mot much Of a Job, since the
conference Was public.
When Uncle Dams council met
recently. as usual behind closely
guarded doors, the business
m0guIs devoted considerable time
TO panning Berry and his group.
Received and Filed
Each OF the groups will file re-
ports with the president. These
documents will be received and
filed.
Later, they may be sent 10 con-
gress for printing as public docu-
ments and the guidance OF such
legislators az may be interested--
WHICH WON'T BE MANY.
When the president actually
gets down 10 taking up the
complex question Of Industrial
leelalat lOn he WILL call In hla nlA
friend, New York's able and
liberal senator Bob Wagner.
who handled the framing Of
the MIRA bill. and turn the
matter over 10 him.
Wagner. as he did In 1888. will
confer with the various inter-
ested elements and groups and
out of these deliberations will
come the plan that will be sub
mitted 10 congress.
That III. this will happen unless
the president decides 10 do Moth
Ing, and leaves the matter en-
tirely up 10 congress.
IN that event Senator Joseph
O'Mahoney's federal incorpora-
ton bill. with ita unique pr0vi.
aIons defining what constitlites
Interstate commerce.. AND THE
LONG PENDING 30 HOUR
WEEK BILL WOULD BH THE
BATTLEoROUNu9 FOR 1uN-
BTITuTE MIRA LEuIBLATfON.
Knock. Knock