Evening star., 1939-05-25
New Deal Philosophy
Produces Poverty,
GirdIer Declares
Most Harmful Law
Is Wagner Act, Republic
Steel Choirmon Says
Pv the Associated Press,

NEW YUM, May Z0.-l. M.
Girdler. chairman of the Republic
Steel Corp, today asserted "the
New Deal philosophy is producing
poverty" and that "the pendulum
of public support Enthusiastically is
swinging away" from it,
He attacked the policies of the
Federal administration in an ad-
dress prepared for delivery opening
the forty eighth general meeting of
the American Iron and Steel Insti-
tute, of which he is president, and
included in his speech criticism of
the steel industry itself
I'm considering the problems con-
fronting our industry" said Mr..
Girdler, "it is important to remem-
ber that the state of steel is in
separable from the state of the
Nation.
THE country at large has never
really recovered from the collapse
of 1929 -
Idleness of Private Capital.
Fortunately the country is rapid
ly waking up to the fact that the
real root of our trouble lies in the
idleness of private capital, as rep
resented by the large accumulated
savings of millions of people. 1t is
now generally recognized that
something is blocking the flow of
these savings into the normal chan
nels of enterprise, and that unless
the obstacles are removed there can
be no general uplift of business or
of employment. '"*
Every intelligent individual must
know that if the Government per-
sists in its present mad financial
course it will surely and inevitably
lead to uncontrolled imitation and
vast economic disaster. There are
only two ways to avoid that dis
aster, either by drastic Government
economies or by adding some S.
900 900 900 to the country's tax bill.
Hits Wagner Act.
ANY attempt to solve the prob
lem by sharply increased taxes
would break the back of busi-
ness.
"Of all the monkey wrenches
which have been thrown into the
industrial machine the most harm
full is the so-called Wagner Act
The maj jor contributions of that law
and its administration by a biased
board have been industrial confu-
sion and generalization. -"
The steel industry does not seek
the repeal of the Wagner Act nor
any weakening of the rights of
workers declared therein. Sound
national policy unquestionably re-
quires a labor law, but it must be
equitable in its provisions and in
its administration to all classes and
all groups. For my part would
welcome such a law, for it would
serve a constructive purpose and
contribute to the public interest.
Il have enumerated but few of
the policies and measures of Gov
eminent which are obstructing the
return of prosperity. Unless these
obstacles are removed or modified
there is no basis for confidence in
the future, no prospect even that
our system of private enterprise can
survive" he declared
But I believe many of these OBJ
jectionable policies will be changed.
l believe it because the pendulum
of public support nmistakably is
swinging away from them.
Asks Better Standards.
B. F. Fairless, president of United
States Steel Corp, urged that the
industry consider further standardi-
zation of products
He suggested: IF a superhuity
of grades is found to exist, along
with whimsical varitions in prod
ucts, a good housekeeping is in
order. Additional measure of stand
ardization, properly supported. un-
doubtedly will be found advan-
tageous."