Evening star., 1939-02-19
Council 10 |ntegrate
Agriculture, Labor,
Industry Urged
New Wallace Proposal
Is Backed by HieImon,
Manufacturer Head
8y the Associated Press,

~ The Associated Press.
DES MONIES, Iowa, Feb. 49,
Secretary of Agriculture Wallace
and Sidney Hillman. c. I. o. vice
president, joined tonight in propos-
Ing an intergroup council of agri-
culture, labor and industry, which,
with the aid of Government, would
work for economic reconstruction.
Charles R. Hook of Middletown,
Ohio, steel manufacturer and chair
man of the board of the Ma
tional Association of Manufacturers,
pledged the support of industry, as
serting lit is ready and anxious to
put Its shoulder to the wheel along
with agriculture, labor and Govern
ment"
These three leaders, with Secre-
tary Wallace representing the dual
role of agriculture and Government,
were speakers at the concluding
session of the National Farm Insti-
tute, which for two days discussed
economic intergroup relations.
In proposing the plan, Secretary
Wallace said it would probably be
most consistent with our traditions
of democracy for agriculture, indus
try and labor to form their own
council, on their own initiative and
entirely independent of the Gov
ernment, but prepared always to
cooperate with the Government in
promoting the prosperity of all
groups.
For General Welfare.
ut should if possible" the Secre-
tary said, "be based only on behalf
of the general welfare.
THE council. if one is formed
should try to define what is meant
by the general welfare, find out
whether certain policies help or in
jure the general welfare, and work
to create better understanding of
what is needed to improve the gen.
eral welfare. The council could i'm
prove the mutual understanding of
the problems of the different groups
IN balance with each other.
Furthermore, the council would
be in a better position than any
other type of agency to obtain re-
liable explanations of governmental
policies in the matters of spending,
debt and regulation, which directly
affect confidence.
Il suggest also that this council
give its immediate consideration to
the development of a concerted
program of expansion in the volume
OF industrial and commercial ac-
tivity and to the price and wage
policies in each industry which
would be consistent with such a
program Of expansion"
Urges National Conference.
After urging a national confer
ence OF labor, agriculture, industry
and Government for the reconstruc-
tion Of our economic life" Mr.. Hill
man, who is also president of the
Amalgamated Clothing Workers,
pleaded with farmers to drop their
traditional distrust of industrial
labor.
Though both labor and agricul-
ture," Mr.. Hillman said. because of
their long and often bitter struggles
against great aggregates of cap
ital, have looked with suspicion
upon the organization of special in
terests, the processes of economic
democracy require cooperative &C
ton by responsible representatives
OF well-organized groups, and no
program of reconstruction can sue
ceed today without the assistance of
Government"
Mr.. Hook declared that industry
was not stopping with a public Of
fer to cooperate with agriculture,
labor, Government or anybody else.
ut is not only seeking other
groups outside industry with whom
it can work for the national well
fare" he said. Industry is also
working internally. within its own
ranks, to contribute every ounce of
Its own resources and its own power
to the battle for national we'll