Evening Star Newspaper, December 10, 1935, Page 14

Text of Ma] Berry’s Speech HE text of the speech of Maj. ‘ George L. Berry, co-ordinator for industrial co-operation, de- livered last night in the Na- tional Radio Forum, follows: | “It is a pleasure to be able to speak | to the American people this evening after witnessing aad parwucipating ia | the momentous events which were a | part of the industry conference which | opened in Washingtca today. It was | with a great deal of satisfaction that | we arrived at the first phase of that | endeavor, the assembling here of some 8,000 business men, representing in- dustry investment, management nnd labor, who came in response to &, simple invitation sent out from the co-ordinator’s office asking them to come to the seat of government and talk things over in order that the Government might be fully advised of tndustry’s greatest problems and have the viewpoints of all elements vitally concerned in industrial progress as to the best methods of co-operative effort with which to approach these problems. “I believe all you who are listeniog will agree with me without the slight- est hesitancy that the present and future objectives of industrial and national progress should include greater prafits for business, increased production and purchasing power and a higher standard of living for all our people. “A difference of viewpoints as to the methods by which we may arrive at those objectives has brought about a virtual state of war between some business men and their Government. ‘The newspapers every day brng fresh evidence of the drawing up of rigid battle lines. Men who are mad at each other cannot be expected to con- tribute much toward a solution of their real and honest differences. “I am oot mad at anybody in all the world. I have faith in my Gov- ernment, and I have knowledge based on personal experience of the difficul- | ties which harass business men, labor and farm people. I hold that the solution lies in co-operation. It is my hope that the conferences which began today may arrive at a concerted decla- ration by all the vital elements of American industry in reaffirmation of faith in the American system, under which competition. based on individual effort and individual reward. has brought this country to leadership among the great industrial nations of the world. “If we agree on a firm declaration of national industrial policy the next | step is to agree that Government, in- vestors, business management and la- | bor leaders must join forces to effectuate this policy. We must not let our judgment be clouded by the | improved business conditions of the moment. but we must take advantage of this hettered opportunity to make a national investment to insure the | future. Value of Teamwork. “My purposes in calling this con- ference have been understated, over- | $10,000 oo in (ash Prizes! 620 CASH PRIZES totaling $10,000 - FIRST PRIZE.... - SECOND PRIZE. . THIRD PRIZE....coovuenens 617 other Cash Prizes ranging from $250.00 to $5.00 Get simplerulesand Free Entry Blank at any Nash-LaFayette showroom! MAJ. GEORGE L. BERRY. stated and misrepresented in everyl possible fashion. Perhaps most of all I have been accused of attempting to | revive the N. R. A. And just as many | times I have flatly denied it. If there | | is any one thing I should like to see‘ revived in this country, it would be ' an abiding faith on the part of in- dustry, labor and the Government in the value of teamwork, instead of pull- ing in a hundred different directions to reach the same fundamental goals. “I notice in the press dispatches that one group of industrialists has an- nounced that 8200 manufacturers ( have said ‘No’ to the question, ‘Do | you favor legislation continuing in any form the principles and policies of the N. I. R. A.?” It is pointed out that questionnaires were sent to com- panies employing 3,900,000 wage earn- ers and that negative answers came from plant owners employing 90 per | cent of these workers. “It is not stated that the negative answers were sent with the indorse- ment of these workers, or that they | were consulted at any point. An in-| teresting contrast is provided by this gathering today of indusirialists who are employers of many millions of workers, and by labor spokesmen who | come from organizations which speak | with authority for some 4,000,000 workers. Assuming that the average workingman has a family of two to! ...$2,500.00 ...$1,000.00 ... $500.00 10 8% 0T ] A big, luxurious SUPER SAFETY car as remarkable as For the first time in 10 years, the a new car is the MOTOR under its hood! It's the amazmg new kind of motor in “‘400”—a motor so simplified that it has 509 its motor! big news about cars. the new Nash | industry's goal is not too clearly out- THINK OF A NAME that would describe a marvelous new kind of motor—based on a new engineering discovery—a motor sosimplified that it has 509 fewer parts . . . so powerful that it’s former small-car owners tochange to a big, luxuri- ouscar and save gas and oil money in the bargain! 126% more auto fatalities happen on curves than m all other causes combined! That’s why we made this car lower—and wider between the rear wheels in relation to height and length than other Going 60, the average car on the road today can’t stop in less than 250 to 300 feet! That’s why we gave it big, super-hydraulic brakes, larger in re- lation to weight than those on any car at any price! THE EVENING —Star Staff Photo. support, these labor spokesmen can express the desires of at least 12,- 000,000 Persons. “There are many additional mil- lions of industrial workers who are not in the organized groups, but who stand to gain the same benefits from any co-operative action of industry and the Government. I think we can count with assurance on their view- points on fundamental questions, such as working hours, wages and the need | of employment, being identical to| those laid before this conference by labor's representatives. “I do not infer that N. O. R. A. or any code structure or similar legisla- tion is the answer agreed upon or to be put forward by industry and labor at the end of this present conference. I do say, and with considerable em- phasis, that a majority of those who have come here, regardless of which side of the industrial structure they represent, are willing to admit that many problems await solution, that lined and that there is a great need in this country today for clear think- ing on the questions of unemploy- ment, business taxation, public debt and a balanced budget. Methods of Meeting Problems. “All agree that these problems must be met, but the disagreement lies in the method. Many industrialists .’so economical that it permits STAR, WASHINGTON., D. C.. TUESDAY, DECEMBER realize that they alone and unaided cannot insure a continued increase in employment, production and purchas- ing power and stabilized prosperity. They know there must be some Nation- wide leadership to overcome the ten- dency to concentrate on individual problems and the gaining of selfish ends. “I have proposed and I hope that the industry conference will bring forth a body of such leadership in the form of a council of industrial prog- ress, to be formed from the repre- sentatives from the related groups of industry and labor now in session here. | ‘The second phase of this conference was the division of the full gathering into more than 50 groups, set up for related industries and for related or- ganizations of labor. The proposed set-up was not in any sense arbitrary, but was simply provided, after careful study by members of my staff, who have had years of practical experience in industry, in order to facilitate the functioning of the assemblage. “Every one knows that mass meetings cannot function in such a way as to deal with a wide field of problems and divergent views and to concen- trate the expressions of opinion into a representative fermal expression and recommendation for action. By set- ting up these smaller meetings and asking them to sit down, without Gov- ernment or other interference of any kind, I hoped that industry and labor | men would face their own problems and suggest their own cures. I called the conference for that purpose. I have no desire to suggest solutions for the problems which we are now facing—they are industry’s problems primarily, although they affect the well-being of the Nation, and industry should be first to discuss them freely, not only for individual benefit, but with the Nation's welfare in mind. After these related groups have dealt with the whole field of difficulties and possibilities, as they see them, I have asked them to choose from among their numbers one or more representa- tives to sit on a full council, over which I will preside temporarily and in which we will seek to compose the varying programs recommended by the separate groups. “It goes without saying that there will be widely differing ideas as to the best means to be employed to insure | the Nation’s industrial future, to put the unemployed back to work in gain- ful occupations and to meet the finan- | cial problems which today are in the forefront of every business man's mind. I have said freely that I ex- pect that council table to be loaded with a ‘mess’ of proposals. I realize the immensity of the task before us. No one who threads the maze of in- dustrial opinions as revealed these days in the Nation’s press can be un- aware that political considerations, sectionalism and selfishness have in many cases obscured any view of in- dustry’s service to humanity on a na- tional scale. “Some public groups, on the other hand, appear to be blind to any rights which the investor and management naturally have in the affairs and con- duct of regular business operations. I am a business man and as such de- sirous of my business affairs. I am a labor man and for years have plead | the cause of the workingman and tried to help labor secure what I be- lieve to be its rightful deserts. Meeting of Minds. “But I believe, also, that there is within me another person, not limited in vision to either group—a being that recognizes that there are proper ar- guments for both sides, and that a middle ground is possible of attain- ment. In this council of industrial progress, the third phase of this in- dustry conference, the first job after it is organized will be to apply itself to composing the differences of opinion which exist. If we can succeed in formulating some declaration of fundamentals of industrial policy—if we can secure a meeting of minds on the problems to be dealt with—I shall feel that we have not met in vain. “Of course, there are those who will claim that the council is not repre- sentative of industry as a whole. Others will say the house is ‘stacked’ by the Government, while others fear dominance by organized labor. I will say only that industry was extended a cordial and sincere invitation to make itself heard and to place its proposals squarely before this conference. I have emphasized there would be no interference by the Government and no dominance from any source. If certain interests have failed to be present for rear of incriminating them- | selves in some way, I cannot accept the blame. If they were vigorously for or vigorously against any plans which might likely be considered by the con- ference, the surest way to make that clear was to have come to the meeting and personally presented their ideas. Silence is open to misinterpretation. I have been absolutely consistent since my appointment by the President as co-ordinator for industrial co-opera- tion. I have not budged one inch. It is industry’s job to formulate a pro- | gram—a program to take care of its OW you can get it, right in your own neigh- borhood—beer that tastes better—beer that is going to sweep the country—beer in Cap Sealed Cans. Improved cans that open like a bottle. Easy to pour—easy to drink from. Sanitary because the beer never touches the outside of the can in opening or pouring. Cans that shut out flavor- robbing light. Cans with a special lining to keep 10, 1935, needs, both for the present and the future, “From all sides there are attacks against the Federal Government for its outlay of funds to provide for the unemployed. But what would indus- try do? There is no way to stop this expenditure unless industry is pre- pared in some other way to take care of nearly eleven millions of jobless and another eleven million of their dependents. I have official statistics which show that during the first 10 months of 1935 production increased from where it stood at the end of 1934 almost 20 per cent, while during the same period employment expressed in terms, of employables increased from the condition existing at the end of 1934 by less than 2 per cent. Am I not fair in assuming that if industry has some program to end this in- tolerable situation, it should wait no longer to put it into effect? “This seems to me to be industry’s most challenging problem. There ap- pear only two alternatives. Either industry must find jobs for these mil- lions, or submit to taxation to provide funds from which they may be fed. We, industry and the Government, might say we have gone far enough. We might ask these 22 millions of human folk to find comfortable places |and lie down and starve to death. But that is not America’s way. If we were to ask it, I hardly think they would agree. I am inclined to think the Government would be happy to have industry take over completely the unemployment situation if in- dustry could guarantee in some way that it would meet its requirements. Industry has not up to the present shown itself capable alone to shoulder that job. That is one reason why I called this conference. That is why I know that by co-operation only will we be able to accomplish this task. There is so much wealth in this coun- try. The banks today have tremen- dous deposits, much of the funds lying idle. We have much of the entire world’s supply of gold. Our engineers, our chemists, our teachers, our busi- ness leaders are the most advanced of the whole world. Yet we have 11 millions of unemployed. Importance of Work. “There is the waste, for we must feed these men and women. That is | why taxes are high, and are increas- ing. If we could put these men to work it would at once increase our purchasing power, thus increasing our industrial output and our reveaues, at the same time decreasing our taxes. Business is better. CONTENTS 1 FruID OUNCES are signs of that fact. But that does not mean that the unemployed are going back to work, or that the men already at work are receiving higher wages, or that those who own business enterprises or stocks are receiving full profits or dividends. “There are many different sorts of recovery. One is & sound recovery, when there is enough work for all and employment, wages, purchasing power and profits can become stabilized.and | certain. The other, where conditions improve, but unemployment remains | static, is only temporary and meens | there is danger ahead. The industrial council will have not only representa- tion of industry management, labor | end consumer spokesmen who are out- standing in the fleld of consumer problems. It will have the benefit of thousands of letters which have poured into my office in recent weeks from every corner of the Nation and from every type of citizen. Most of my correspondents feel that something must be done to eliminate the many evils attendant upon business opera- tions. They agree that if cut-throat standards of competitica are permitted to continue the business scene can | only remain a battleground, with only the largest and most concentrated in- } is personally represented here, it is only a small part of the vast number who have written to me or engaged in conferences with me or members of my staff, seeking some way in which they could be helpful in the great task to which we have bent our best efforts. “The industrial council as first estab- lished doubtless will be augmented by additional representation from indus- try groups as soon as its purposes and intentions are clearly understood. I refuse to believe that any broad- visioned men of industry will remain permanently aloof from an enterprise which is so patently engaged in attempting to co-operate in remove ing some of the dangerous uncertain- ties from the business horizon “Certain minority groups are in- evitably going to ask for pascage of legislation affecting industry in the coming Congress and in others to fol- low. A sound and representative body here in Washington set up as a liaison between industry and Government could serve in an advisory capacity to prevent passage of any poorly pree pared laws, as well as to work for passage of whatever beneficial legise lation industry may need. “Our system of government is so devised that when problems are at-a terests surviving. “Let me give you a few brief ex-| cerpts from some of the letters which | came to me in connection with this industry conference. A stove manu- facturer in Massachusetts says: ‘In- dustry needs to be protected against itself, as a continuance of cutthroat competition, which is sure to result without N. R. A., will surely ruin our entire country. No firm should ever e allowed to sell below costs, unless un- der special conditions, and I believe costs should be based on tax returns.’ | “A Philadelphia clothing Board of | Trade says: ‘Industry and labor, in all | their branches, are in dire need of a| solid foundation upon which to build a new business era.’ ( “A Michigan brass company says: ‘We are very much in favor of indus- trial co-operation such as is to be the | subject of the conference and will do | everything we can to be of assistance.” “A Connecticut lamp shade manu- facturer says: ‘Because of the many apparently conflicting interests be- tween capital and labor, production, | and distribution and consumption, it is, I believe, the function of the state | to bring them together for the purpose | of co-operation that their efforts may | be for the best interests of all.’ | “And so they continue. May I em- | phasize that although a sizable pro- Everywhere there | portion of American industry and labor [STORES minimum and the Nation’s affairs are runnigg smoothly our Govern- ment operates at a minimum, but when indust has vital worries which it cannot or will not take care of it becomes the duty of Government to extend aid and co-operation.” RENAULT MPAGNE FULL BOTTLE, $2.95 8-0z. SPLIT____95c AT LIQUOR _Tastes better. Easy to open Protected from light No deposit. No empties to return Cools quicker. Takes up less space - No danger of breakage Sanitary—used once—thrown away Holds 12 fluid ounces, same as bottle Opens like a bottle fewer parts, so remarkable that Nash is offering the beer mellow, fragrant, perfect. $10,000 just to find words that will even describe it! But that’s not all. This new motor has been built into a new type of car—a big, luxurious, SUPER SAFETY car—the new Nash “400”! 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