See how it looked in 1933

Nation Backs Roosevelt’s More-Pay-Less-Work Plea; Flood of Pledges Pours In

Millions Hear President on Radio Ask for Aid on Personal Basis Declares All Must Seek Common Goal People Are Asked to Support Merchants Who Display Symbol of Patriotism

WASHINGTON, July 25 –

Support for President Roosevelt’s recovery program rolled into Washington today in a great wave.

The Chief Executive in a frank and vigorous radio address to the country last night appealed for support for the new voluntary code of business conduct, and asked that responses should be sent direct to him.

That started it. A few minutes after he concluded the response began. It continued all evening, all night, all day today – by special messenger, by telephone calls, telegrams. Today the first huge batches of mail from near-by points arrived. White House secretaries staggered under the burden.

At first, some effort was made to give the substance of the messages received; then the effort was made only to enumerate the number of replies. Then finally even that effort was abandoned.

The laconic statement was made by one of the President’s personal secretaries: “Oh, well, the country’s with us. What’s the use of mentioning names?”

Thus was begun the campaign destined to have incalculable results on American life and industry: the effort to give the United States for the first time an ordered and systematic national economy, until the last remnants of economic stress disappear from the national scene in disorderly retreat. Without dissenting voice, it is appraised here as the most daring peace-time experiment ever made in the New World.

Emblem Makes Appearance

Today the “blue eagle,” with outstretched wings and grasping in one claw a symbolic cogwheel of industry and in the other three lively-looking thunderbolts, made its appearance in newspaper pages all over America.

This is to be the symbol which in the next few months will appear in nearly every shop window, every factory, every publishing house, every department store in the country.

Day after tomorrow, postmen over America will deliver the 5,000,000 or 6,000,000 employers bank forms for them to fill out in token of their support for the campaign. The campaign has one objective: To distribute the benefits of rising prices evenly throughout the population of 125,000,000.

Signature of the pledge to the N.R.A. campaign involves very real sacrifices in many cases upon the employer who makes it. It pledges him to establish a 35-hour week and a $14 minimum wage for common labor, and a 40-hour week and a $15 minimum wage for the “white-collar” employee.

Broke All Precedents

The objective of the program is the same: To give the employee a greater purchasing power with which to build a firm foundation for returning prosperity, and to put a brake on the expansion of industry itself so that the productivity will not once more get out of hand in relationship to consumer demand.

Mr. Roosevelt broke with all precedents when he asked the nation to make its reply direct to him as to the colossal campaign. But then the whole affair now under way in Washington has an air of difference. The objective which Mr. Roosevelt is sponsoring is unlike any ever before placed before the American public.

Furthermore the surroundings of the President as he spoke were unique. Listening to the voice from the White House last night, men and women over the country could not visualize that the Chief Executive was hemmed around by moving picture and sound recording apparatus. These sound records were taken for the purpose of spreading the same gospel of high wages and shorter hours all over America in the start of a whirlwind publicity campaign comparable in size only to the huge war-time liberty loan drives.

Hot Night in Washington

Nor was there anything of stiffness or smacking of careful rehearsal in the broadcast itself. Once in the midst of his speech he stopped short and, turning from the microphone, shouted:

“Where is that glass of water?”

When the water had been brought to the thirsty speaker, he addressed himself once more to his nation-wide audience:

“It is very hot here in Washington tonight, my friends.”

Mr. Roosevelt discussed the background of his economic policy since taking office, followed by a direct appeal for support by labor and capital alike for his new program.

Concluding his speech, the President said:

“I do have faith and retain faith, in the strength of common purpose and in the strength of unified action taken by the American people. That is why I am asking the employers of the nation to sign this common covenant with me—to sign it in the name of patriotism and humanity.

“That is why I am asking the workers to go along with us in a spirit of understanding and helpfulness.”

Boston Firms Respond Eagerly to President’s Plea for Cooperation

Greater Boston employers are doing their part.

Workers in representative industries are beginning to fall in step with the resounding tread of labor’s upward marching millions. Wholehearted messages bearing pledges of loyalty and cooperation poured in upon the smiling instigator of America’s New Deal at the White House from the executive offices of scores of local business organizations today.

The lathe and loom, the pick and shovel are beginning to symbolize opportunity instead of drudgery as thousands of workers see the demoralizing disparity between these factors whittled down to the bedrock of social equality under the Administration’s plan for shorter hours and higher wages.

Concrete evidence is giving the powerful impetus to the forward and upward march. Fifteen hundred employees of Bird & Son, Inc., of Walpole, poured into the factory gates today to find a notice on all bulletin boards that beginning next Monday, the entire force will start a 35-hour week at a wage increase corresponding to the scale in effect in July, 1929.

Company Writes President

While 1500 employees were rejoicing in the management’s new deal that has carried them through the gates of labor’s promised land, company officials were framing a message to President Roosevelt expressing their hearty approval of his plan for the working man.

The bulletin posted this morning pointed out that the “new code makes necessary many changes in our plans and policies. We need the help of every individual in order to make the Government’s plan succeed. It is a grand opportunity to see how good a job we can do.”

The notice was signed by Mr. Phillip R. Allen, president of the big roofing concern. He notified the President that his company accepted the blanket code pending approval of the special codes, which will eventually be applied to its various lines of manufacturing.

The Bird company was one of the first local industries to qualify for the employers’ badge of cooperation which Mr. Hugh S. Johnson, National Recovery Administrator, is issuing to all business concerns which support the new working codes.

Shoe and Leather Men Act

The New England Shoe & Leather Association, representing scores of large New England manufacturers, is another outstanding group which is taking steps to do its part and hoist the coveted eagle. Mr. Thomas P. Anderson, secretary of the shoe association, said that notices were sent out to all members today asking them to cooperate with the President’s recovery forces “cheerfully and loyally.”

Boston retail merchants are working out new schedules providing for shorter working hours and higher pay. Mr. Richard R. Mitton, head of Jordan Marsh Company, speaking on behalf of members of the Boston Retail Trade Board, reaffirmed the board’s policy to cooperate in every way.

Attempts to determine the position of the New England Telephone & Telegraph Company in relation to the new deal for workers failed to elicit any concrete statement from the local management. Typical of the unwieldy system of large corporations, efforts to question a responsible executive led the questioner down the conventional gauntlet of futility.

An “assistant” to the publicity department head said that the company had the question under consideration. When the company officials completed their deliberations, they would have an announcement for all the newspapers.

Code Popular in Boston

Reaction to President Roosevelt’s blanket code was distinctly favorable and the first reports to reach Mr. Hugh D. Butler, New England Manager of the United States Bureau of Foreign and Domestic Commerce, today, were described by him as “very encouraging.” Mr. Butler has been given charge of the machinery for putting the blanket code into effect in all New England except Connecticut, which is assigned to the New York district.

The Chelsea Chamber of Commerce called a meeting to which 1300 merchants were invited to hear Mr. Ray Hudson of the New England Council explain the blanket code, Mr. Butler was informed.

Requests for speakers to explain the new blanket code are virtually flooding Mr. Butler’s office in the Custom House Tower and he said today that he would appreciate greatly volunteers. Asked how speakers were expected to treat a subject that they themselves did not understand, Mr. Butler laughingly replied that he would give a full course of instruction to all volunteering.

In the meantime, a stream of wires, letters and messages of all kinds is flooding Mr. Butler’s office – a hopeful presage to general industrial activity. Out of the five assistants in his office, all but one are busily engaged on the code plan work, the fifth handling the entire work connected with both foreign and domestic commerce.

Heads Boston District Board

Mr. Butler, who has just returned to Boston from Washington, has been appointed secretary of the district recovery board of seven members, which has not yet been named for this district. Headquarters for the time being are in the bureau offices in the Customs House, to which all blanket codes, agreements and certificates of compliances are to be submitted. Manufacturers, wholesalers, and retailers are expected to sign these codes and submit them within a few days. Mr. Butler will have a complete list of all who accept the code and certify to their own compliance with its provisions.

A list of names of those who signed the code will be mailed to the various post offices in New England from Mr. Butler’s office. Post Masters are to segregate the names and display publicly a list of all signers who are engaged in business in each community. The post masters will also distribute the insignia of merit to those cooperating in making out the codes.

Mr. Butler was assigned to the London office of the bureau for nearly nine years and in January 1928, was the first official trade representative of the United States to the Irish Free State. In 1929, Mr. Butler was given charge of the Boston office as district manager, a position he has since held.

Work of placing the blanket code in operation is to be uniform all over the United States, and in each case will be handled through the district office of the bureau in the various communities. There are 23 of these offices outside of Boston, scattered at strategic points throughout the nation.