Yesterday

During the burgeoning period of the N.R.A., when statements, proclamations, and forecasts were shooting forth bravely from every office in Washington, it was spread about, and generally acclaimed, that Labor was to be presented with a New Deal which was to include not only shorter hours and a minimum wage, but the right collectively to bargain with employers. Since that time enthusiasm over that particular promise has cooled considerably. It was abrogated in the automobile codes, and has been fought over in all the others. Recently the Administration has, on the one hand, attempted to dodge the issue by refusing to talk about it, and on the other, has deprecated the use of the striking right where it has been exercised. But now in the case of the coal codes, the miners in Pennsylvania and West Virginia have split away from the hush-hush guidance of John Lewis and have by militant action forced the question squarely before Washington. "Are unions going to be recognized or not?"

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This point is important and must be made clear. It is important to the laborer, for he wants a voice in the economic government of his life. It is important to the Administration, for its whole philosophy has been founded on the boosting of purchasing power of the wage-earner; and unless a second and third set of codes are to be enforced on industry, that boost to keep consumption up to rising prices will have to come from union pressure in each business. And the difficulties which would face the imposition of more codes are too obvious to merit further discussion. General Johnson, then, ought to drop his vacillation, so foreign to his newspaper character, and give a definite decision on this matter without delay.

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Puzzled as were Pollux and I to see that Hitler's Germany has gone the Golden-Rule-Day Society twelve better by decreeing a national monthly fast day, the household savings of which are to feed the local starving Armenians, we were even more struck by the incongruity of a message sent down by the Soviet ballooners to their listening fans on the ground. Having attained the height of 11.8 miles above the earth, they radioed: "We are doing well and send our best wishes." For a very happy Stratostat Year? CASTOR.