NRA Citizens Committee Told Factories Hired 225 More; Store Jobs Increase
General Will Be Selected
Complaints of Non-Compliance Will Be Investigated
Employment for over 225 new workers in the industrial plants of Greenfield
since the passage of the NRA was announced last evening by Waldo T. Ellis, chairman
of the local NRA Citizens committee, at the organization meeting at the selectmen's
room.
He stated the retail stores were also cooperating in adding employes but that
figures regarding the payroll increases were not yet available because the code
had only gone into effect this Monday and that some of the stores were not yet
under the code. This information was forwarded to Washington in response to
a request from the federal authorities.
Add 15 Per Cent
An independent check-up by a reporter among the retail stores of town indicated
that between 15 and 20 per cent more workers have been added under the recovery
code. Since the code does not become compulsory for retail stores until Aug.
31, the full increase is expected to be larger. Some of those hired by the stores
have not had work for months, and one store manager expects that with the seasonal
pick-up in September, there will be an actual shortage of skilled store clerks.
During the committee meeting it was disclosed that the local NRA work would
be organized somewhat similar to the system used during the World war in connection
with the sale of Liberty bonds. A general will be selected who will in turn
select a number of colonels, these colonels will name majors and the majors
appoint captains who will form companies to carry out such duties as are requested
to promote the NRA. J. B. Kennedy, Gen. F. E. Pierce and Neson K. Lyons were
named as the committee to select the general who will have charge of the local
forces. This force will supplement the work of the local NRA citizens committee.
Duty to Investigate
J. B. Kennedy, regional NRA director, explained that one of the duties of the
committee was to investigate and report all cases where the provisions of the
NRA were not being complied with and also to report all complaints which may
be received. He pointed out that as yet only meagre information had been received
from the government regarding the scope of the work of the committee but this
would probably be received by the last of the month.
He stated that he did not believe that the committee members would have many
duties to discharge at present as the codes of some of the different lines of
industry had not been completed. He felt that by the last of the month much
of the present confusion would probably be dissolved and that the committee would
then be in position to start activities.
R. Stanley Reid, chairman of the special committee which has been handling
the local store codes, spoke briefly regarding local retail conditions but made
clear that as the codes had been just adopted he could say very little at this
time regarding the situation.
H. I. Jenks, business manager of The Recorder-Gazette, was elected secretary
of the committee, completing the organization of this body. Chairman Ellis was
also empowered to appoint a grievance committee to assist him in certain lines
of the work if necessity demanded. |