Show 4 THE DAILY NEW NEV YORK F Finall Financial Whirligig ir Written n for o Th The Tho By JAMES McMULLIN NEW NEV YORK YORK New Newt York motor circles had more than a casual voice in the industry's move to adopt the hour 36 week with increased wages Neutral observers rate ti a keen piece of double strategy It robs restless labor circles of reasons to justify strike sentiment and it puts the automobile people in the position of bell for the industrial herd in support of General Johnsons Johnson's shorter week campaign Private reports here indicate that N R A officials are duly grateful and that friendly relations thus promoted will stand the motor moguls in good stead in the event of further closed shop disputes Curiously the steel industry industry also also an open shop stronghold stronghold may may be next to follow the motors' motors lead despite deficits These two industries industries industries indus indus- tries are generally on excellent terms with N R A. A They would no more think of giving up their codes than they would of abandoning their company unions Bumper Crop of Executives The executive forces of local department stores are likely to take a surprising jump if the hour 36 plan comes through fo for retailers Executives are exempt from hour restrictions One large store at least has detailed figures to prove that its it's cheaper to raise the pay of salespeople salespeople salespeople sales sales- people to qualify them as executives than to add another shift Of course that wouldn't help unemployment but the store in question has about decided to let General Johnson do the worrying on that score Factory Employment Gains The latest figures on New York state factory employment show encouraging improvement The gain of 58 per cent for January to February February Feb Feb- February is much bigger than usual That one month recouped the previous employment losses over the month four-month period from September Septem Septem- ber her to January The New York factory figures are accepted by experts as a fair sampling forthe forthe for forthe the country at large LaGuardia Bothers Politicos Mayor 1 LaGuardia's unremitting efforts on behalf of his New York City economy bill will probably get results in the state legislature on the fifth try But the mayors mayor's suave refusal to accept defeat defeat de de- de feat and ease case up on the pressure has the Democrats Democrats Demo Demo- at Albany plenty bothered One of the assembly leaders privately tells his friends that this man LaGuardia is out to wreck the Democratic Democratic Democratic Demo Demo- cratic party and it wont won't do to regard him as a simple nut on civic virtue Bitter Sales Sates Tax Fight Looms The New York state sales tax is very much alive despite the 50 to 1 ballot piled up against it in a straw vote conducted by the New York stores This expression of public opinion is less important politically than the discovery by Tammany legislators that the Republican plan offers them an out on some of their city trou trou- bles The fight light will be bitter when it really gets ets going Certain elements supposed to be against the sales tax may spring a major sur surprise rise by turning states state's evidence in favor of it The farm organizations are worth wa watching ching in this connection Legion Out of or Bonus Fight Local American legion circles are arc irked because because be be- be cause the public evidently believes the legion is behind the latest bonus drive The legion is sticking slicking to its point four-point program program program pro pro- gram and had nothing to do with it The Veterans Veterans Vet Vet- erans of Foreign Wars were somewhat involved But the real mainspring was was an effort by the paper money crowd to test whether public sentiment sentiment sen sen- has become more favorable to their cause The veterans were just a convenient front although front although the veterans themselves themselves' didn't know it The public reaction reaction reaction-as as reported by scouts all over the country country is is privately regarded regard regard- ed as disappointing Of course the legion is in a delicate position It has many more than presumptive disabled on its rolls An open referendum of legion sentiment would undoubtedly favor the bonus Insiders understand it took smart maneuvering maneuvering maneuvering ma ma- at the last convention to keep it off the official program The result is some fancy tight-rope tight walking by legion officials They want to be in a position position tion to claim credit if by a miracle the bonus goes through But they also want to be able to point out that they didn't waste their shots if it Heroic Bankers Wall street buzzes with comment about Chairman Potter of the Guaranty Trust and President Johnston of the Chemical who had the nerve to appear publicly in Washington against certain features of the Rayburn Fletcher-Rayburn bill Most local bank officers were in agreement agreement agreement agree agree- ment but act on the principle that the less contact contact contact con con- tact they have with congress the better off the they are Potter and Johnston arc are cited as quite the heroes by comparison t c 1 e tU t S |