Show THE DAlLY WAS INGTON Merry Go Round Trade Mark MarkBy MarkBy MarkBy By DREW DREV PEARSON and ROBERT ALLEN WASHINGTON The The hundreds hundreds- of complaints complaints com corn plaints against the blue eagle at the N R A Afield Afield field day for critics boil down to four basic indictments One Overwhelmingly overshadowing all else is the charge of widespread noncompliance Practically Practically every one of the hundreds who testified regardless of what else they had to say made this accusation The record of the ringed five-ringed debate shows beyond all doubt that N R A codes are being disregarded as flagrantly as the late dry laws It is obvious also that unless the administration administration administration adminis adminis- begins cracking down on some really big offenders the blue e eagle is headed for popular popular popular pop pop- ular oblivion Two Many employers are flouting section the requirement for collective bargaining With great bitterness labor spokesmen cited scores of such cases together with the governments government's to protect workers' workers rights Here is one case t that at was cited The employees of the Sigmund Eisner Clothing Co Redbank N. N J. J went on strike to compel the company to abide ide by code provis provis- ions The controversy was laid before the National National National Na Na- Labor board While the board was de deliberating deliberating deliberating de- de liberating the company went into the courts got an injunction against the strikers and had five of the leaders arrested The judge sentenced sentenced sentenced sen sen- them to 90 days in jail plus a fine of 1000 The owners of this firm are related to Lester Eisner state N R A administrator now vacationing vacation ing on a Mediterranean cruise Three Virtually all codes contain wage hour and price d differentials differentials between between the north and south with those for the so south th creating a definitely lower standard Four There was a fifth general complaint less frequently voiced but still of serious This was to the effect that many code authorities are packed with employers who not only countenance but actually participate in Violations unfair trade practices and General Johnson believes he can clean clean up up this Augean stable He is a man of action But it is going to take some pretty strenuous flapping of the Blue Eagles Eagle's wings to g get t it soaring back in higher favor avor in public opinion In fact it will probably never get there Boss Harry Woodring assistant secretary of war is becoming cautious Once a ready to the press three appearances before a District District District Dis Dis- of Columbia grand jury investigating army contracts have closed him shut like a clam As he emerged f from om his last session with the grand jury he was approached by a group of newspaper men Sorry said Harry But General MacArthur MacArthur MacArthur Mac- Mac Arthur told me not to talk Note General Douglas MacArthur chief of staff is Wood Woodring's ings ing's subordinate but actually runs the war department Game Gathe Democratic house leaders are playing the theold theold theold old shell game with the independent offices appropriation bill amended by the senate to re restore restore restore re- re store ot at veterans' veterans and federal pay benefits Having been amended by one body the usual procedure would be to send the bill to toa toa toa a conference of committees of the house and senate If It no agreement can be reached in conference the measure is ret returned to the originating body for fOl a vote on the disputed points If it accepts the amendments then the debate is finished If not the bill then goes to the amending chamber for further action But in the case of cf the independent offices bill which bill which riddles Roosevelt economy the economy the floor leaders were taking no chances They know that if the house in its present rebellious temper could take a out out vote on the senate amendments it would concur in them overwhelmingly To prevent this and in the hope of sparing the president from exercising his veto power the floor leaders resorted to strategy They dug up a used seldom-used rule which requires that thata a returned amended bill must be sent to the committee from which it emanated In this case it was the house appropriations committee safely obedient to the president There the bill biU went and went and there it will cool off oft until the administration believes it can persuade persuade per per- suade or maneuver the house into lopping off oft the senates senate's liberalizing amendments Copyright 1831 by McClure Newspaper Eradicate |