RECOVERY ACT

Dominion, Volume 26, Issue 308, 23 September 1933, Page 7

RECOVERY ACT

Officials Claim Success WAGES AND HOURS “Highly Favourable” Analysis RELIEF FOR WORKLESS By Telegraph.—Press Assn.—Copyright. (Received September 22, 11.30 p.m.) Washington, September 21. What is described as a higlily favourable analysis of wage rate increases and work week reductions, indicating the success of the National Recovery Act, officially show that the average hourly- earnings have increased from 42.7 cents an hour in June 15-July 15 period to 58.5 cents in the July 15-August 15 period, while the average hours of work per week have dropped from 42.3 to 38.6 in eighty-nine industries. Codified industries showed a striking contrast, the most outstanding being the cotton textiles, wages in which increased from 23.2 cents to 36.1 cents and the hours decreased from 49 to 36.5. • \ . President Roosevelt has authorised the Agricultural Adjustment Administration to, buy upward of 75 million dollars’ worth of surplus food and clothing supplies for distribution among the unemployed. His action is a direct reply to critics of the American system, who noted the paradox of a wealthy country with huge surpluses of basic commodities while millions go hungry and ill-clad. The policy affords adequate assistance for 3,500,000 families on relief rolls. COAL INDUSTRY Labour Contract Signed (Rec. September 22, 7.30 p.m.) Washington, September 21. The Northern Coal Control Association and the Smokeless Appalachian group, representing more than 70 per cent, of the United States soft coal tonnage, to-night signed -a labour contract with the United Mine Workers of America. LABOUR PRESIDENT Rep” is to Critics of Clauses (Received September 22, 7 p.m.) Washington, September 21. Mr. W. Green, president of the American Federation of Labour; has issued’ a statement denouncing the critics of the labour clauses of the National Recovery Act. He says the Act does not prevent the closed union shop—that is, a shop which is union by agreement between the workers and the employers. The Act gives the workers their freedom to organise. Critics are dismayed, because wage earners no longer are under the necessity of paying tribute to a company. INFLATION PROBLEM Plans for Cotton Relief Washington, September 21. President Roosevelt received the delegates from the Cotton Conference to-day, but with a definite understanding that the discussions would be on a “sneciiic and immediate plan for cotton relief,” and not an inflation. Senator Thomas refrained from going to the White House with the delegation, pleading previous engagements, but observers here professed to see a possible break with the President over inflation. The apparent stand against inflation of the President and the Secretary for Agriculture, Mr. Henry Wallace, has had Immediate political repercussions in the agricultural sections. The lowa Farmers’ Union, meeting in convention at Des Moines, circulated a petition demanding Mr. Wallace’s removal, and threatened to revive a farm • strike that would “overshadow anything ever seen In this country.” If the recent threats of inflation failed to send securities upward, the indications that any such plans would be held in abeyance had a depressing resylt on a]l markets. Stocks wore off one to six points, wheat off the five cents allowed daily, and the fluctuations in other commodities sympathetically weak. After a strong rally early in the day the dollar sank sharply, closing approximately at yesterday’s levels. .