Evening star., 1937-11-15

improve labor regulations and as-
sure worksrs' security have since
been upheld. In these latter deci-
sions the powers of the Federal
Government to regulate oommsrce
between the 6tatAs and to tax and
to spend for the general welfare
have been clearly recognized.
believe that the courts them
selves are coming to have increas-
ing regard for the true nature Of
the Constitution a. = broad charter
Of democratic government which
can function under the conditions
Of today. I believe that the Con-
gress can constitut!onally write an
adequate farm act that will be we'll
within the broad meaning and pur-
pose Of the Constitution.
hope and believe that the Su-
prefne Court will not again deny to
farmers the protection which It
now accords to others.
Wage and Hsur DiM
Must Bs Taken Up.
2. LABOR: / believe that the
country - . whole recognizes the
need for immediate congressional
action II We are to maintain ware
income and the purchasing power
OF the Nation against recessive fac
tors In the general Industrial situa-
ton. The exploitation Of child 10.
Dor and the underwriting Of wages
and the stretching Of the hours of
the poorest paid workers in periods
Of business recession has q serious
eject on buying power. In the in
terest OF the national economy such
adjustments ~ muat be made
should not be made at the expense
OF those least able to bear them.
I further believe that the ooun-
try as q whole realizes the neces-
sAry connection between encourage
Ing business men to make capital
expenditures for new plants and
raising the total wage income of
the total Of our working popula-
ton. New plants today mean
labor saving machinery. What
does the country ultimately gain
II we encourage business men to
enlarge the capacity Of American
industry to produce, unless we see
to 1t that the income of our work.
ine population actually expands
sumciently to create markets to
absorb that increased production?
I further believe that the coun.
try - whole recognizes the need
OF seeking . more uniformly ade-
quate standard of living and pur-
chasing power it every part is to
live happily with every other part.
We do not recognize the destiny Of
any State or any county to be
permanently backward. Political
and social harmony requires that
every State and every county not
only produce goods for the Nations
markets but furnish markets for
the Nations goods.
This does not mean that legis-
lation must require immediate uni
form minimum hour or wage
standards; that is an ultimate
goal.
CenErsss Must Provide
Flsxibls Machinery.
We should provide flexible ma,
chinery which will enable indus
tries throughout the country to
adjust themselves progressively to
better labor conditions. But we
must not forget that no policy Of
nsxibility will be practical unless a
oo-ordinating agency has the obli-
cation Of inspection and investiga-
ton to ensure the recognition and
enforcement Of what the law re-
Quires.
Although there are geographic
and industrial diversities which
practical statesm manship cannot we'll
ignore. It 10 high time that we
had legislation relating to goods
moving In or competing with inter-
state commerce which will accom-
plish two immediate purposes:
First, ban8h child labor and
protect workers unable to protect
themselves from excessively low
wages and excessively long hours.
Second, end the unsound prac-
tce Of some oommunities-by no
means confined to any one section
OF the country-which seek new
industries by Offering ~ the prin-
cipal attraction labor more plenti-
ful and much cheaper than may
be found in competing communi-
ties. To them the Congress should
relterate the oft.repeated pledge
Of political parties that labor is
not . mere commodity.
Piaa fer Improvement
OF U. 8. Management.
;. REORGANIZATION: Last
January I presented for the con-
sideration of the Congress the i'm
provement Of administrative man.
aeement in the executive branch
of the Government. Five princi-
pal objectives were outlined:
ca To create one or more addi-
tional departments and to give the
Chief Executive authority to ar
range all present and future
strictly executive activities in or
under regular executive depart
ments.
tb) To establish 4 budget and
efficiency agency, personnel
agency and a planning agency