No Red Tape in U.S. Relief

Manawatu Times, Volume LIV, Issue 7276, 2 October 1933, Page 7

No Red Tape in U.S. Relief

Big Plan for Aiding the Needy

CREDIT FOR DEVELOPMENT OF INDUSTRY

United Press Association —By' Electric Telegraph—Copyright. Received Sunday', 7.25 p.m.

NEW YORK, Sept. 30.

It was a day of mixed fortune but continuously furious activity for the American recovery' plan to-day. Probably tho most revelatory development was the opening of tho battle on labour’s right to organise and provide a crucial test of the N.R.A.

Whereas the signing of tho coal code on September 21 had apparently' settled the coal-mining situation, a troublesome, unregulated sphere remained in the case of coal-mines owned by the large steel companies, where strikes, accompanied by violence, continued. Despite President Roosevelt’s announcement, cabled earlier, it appeared to-day that, the steel companies, while accepting the code, declined to accept a feature calling for negotiation of an agreement with tho United Mine Workers’ Union. The steel companies intimated they considered the step as an entering wedge towards unionisation of the steel industry itself.

While General Johnson to-day worked desperately on a compromise between the disputants, 25,000 striking miners in Western Pensylvania, on a poll, declared their refusal to return to work on Monday.

The United States Steel Corporation issued a statement declaring its readiness to pay high wages and maintain favourable hours and working conditions, and observo all provisions of the N.R.A. code applicable to them, but remained adamant on the unionisation issue.

Events are moving rapidly towards a crisis in the American Federation of Labour itself in connection with serious jurisdictional disputes and strike* which threaten to weaken and undermine its prestige and influence and obscure its future course of action.

The carpenters and ironworkers are engaged in a bitter struggle concerning the jurisdiction of public building, namely, which shall have the right, to install certain kinds of equipment. The dispute reached a point where Government mediators were called in.

Furthermore, blame is more and more being attached to the unions for the wave of strikes which has hit tho country.

Mr Green, president of the Federation of Labour, to-day issued a statement and an admonition calling upon labour to be patient and mediate its disputes. "The right to strike,” ho declared, ‘‘involves so many serious considerations that it ought to be utilised only as a last resort.’’ From Hyde Bark, where the President is spending a vacation, came word that the Federal Telief programme, shorn of red tape in the interests of feeding, clothing and providing fuel for the needy during the coming winter, will be put into effect within a week. The Federal Government will contribute 330,000,000 dollars which, with State and local funds, will bring the relief expenditures contemplated to 700,000,000 dollars. It is aimed to provide shelter, warmth, adequate raiment and a balanced diet. The Reconstruction Finance Corporation announced it will within 24 hours arrange to extend to business and corporations the necessary credit by means of loans to banks and financial institutions on the latter’s preferred stock. The funds so provided could then bo re-loaned to businessmen and those needing credit, at 5 per cent, for shorttime, and 6 per ‘ cent, for long-time loans, the intermediary banks and financial institutions receiving 2 per cent, commission and the borrowers merely signing notes bearing the endorsement of the banks or the financial institutions. This is expected to aid the desired large-scale credit expansion.

Mr Roosevelt as Mediator

Received Sunday, 7 p.m, NEW YORK, Sept. 30.

President Roosevelt announced tonight that an agreement on hours and wages had been worked out and signed by him earlier in the day bringing the mines owned by the iron and stoel companies of Western Pennsylvania under the bituminous code. Mr Roosevelt expects the pact to bring about the TCturn of some 75,000 miners to the pits on Monday.

Many American Banks to be Reopened WASHINGTON, Sept, 29. Tt is announced that the Treasury has completed its plans to reorganise and reopen 375 national banks in o 7 States. The last general banking reports showed that 2575 banks, with deposits amounting to 1,765,000,000 dollars, had been unlicensed, compared with 13,080 banks of all kinds which are operating on an unrestricted basis with deposits amounting to 31,930,000,000 dollars. The Ford Situation MANY MEN DISCHARGED NEW YORK, Sept. 29. While the national strike situation to-day drew more acute, with 3000 striking miners storming the Carnegia Company's steel plant at Clairton, Pennsylvania, and additional Western Pennsylvania mines shut down, the Ford situation continues to hold the centre of interest. The Edgewater plant officials discharged 311 workers for striking and began to replace them. At the same time the strikers announced |»lans for an automobile invasion of

Detroit to extend picketing operations at the main Ford establishment.

Efforts to submit the Ford dispute to the N.R.A. Labour Board at Washington have been continued, but the report from Detroit states that Mr. Ford is prepared to closo every plant belonging to his company in the country if the striko should ever spread from the east. It is stated that he will

not be coerced by what he calls "strike agitators," .