Ghost's Curse

George Leonard Berry got off to a slow start in life. Tennessee-born son of a Civil War captain, he was orphaned at 7, knocked about as odd-job boy and printer's helper until he was 21, never got to college. He was a Spanish War private, a World War major of engineers, helped organize the American Legion. At 53 he is not only the Southeast's biggest farmer (30,000 acres) but also, since 1907, president of the International Pressmen and Assistants Union and founder-owner of the nation's biggest color label-printing plant, at Rogersville, Tenn.

Last September, President Roosevelt picked Major Berry to be Coordinator for Industrial Co-operation with the job of persuading businessmen to do voluntarily what they were forced to do under NRA. Ever since then Coordinator Berry has been working up a great conference of Industry and Labor, to begin in Washington this week, for the purpose of discussing ways of "accelerating industrial recovery, eliminating unemployment, maintaining business and labor standards."

Once a leading NRA lieutenant, Coordinator Berry talked himself blue in the face trying to take the Blue Eagle's curse off his conference. He promised that he would be the only Government representative on hand. He promised that he would raise no questions, make no suggestions. Conferees, he swore, would be free to do anything, decide anything they pleased. But up to last week's end Ford Motor Co. and the following trade associations had thumbed down Government-sponsored industrial co-operation by declining to send representatives to the Berry party:

Automobile Manufacturers Association National Electrical Manufacturers Association American Iron & Steel Institute

Cotton-Textile Institute

National Retail Dry Goods Association

American Petroleum Institute

Chemical Alliance

Manufacturing Chemists Association

Machinery and Allied Products Institute

National Association of Waste Material (junk) Dealers

Behind every refusal lay suspicion that the real purpose of the conference was to raise the Blue Eagle's ghost, put new flesh & feathers on it. Gist of each declination: "We are recovering nicely by ourselves. All we ask the Government to do is to leave us alone." Attributing objections to "a bad case of NRA jitters," Coordinator Berry announced on the party's eve that acceptances of his 5,200 invitations were running about 99% for Labor, 70% for Industry. Unemployment and taxation, he thought, would be the chief subjects of discussion. Coordinator Berry was primed for trouble when he stood up before 2,400 delegates in Washington's Federal Auditorium this week to launch his party. After a brief speech he declared the meeting adjourned for commencement of group conferences. Up jumped one A. P. Haake, secretary of the National Association of Furniture Manufacturers, to demand a hearing for those opposed to Government interference with Business.

"The meeting is adjourned," shouted Coordinator Berry.

Secretary Haake repeated his demands. Coordinator Berry's broad face grew red. Cried he: "You were sent down here to break up this meeting and you know it!"

"As a gentleman and a Christian," retorted Mr. Haake, onetime Congregationalist minister, "I tell you that you are an unqualified liar!"

Charging to the front of the platform, Coordinator Berry shook his hairy fist, bellowed: "You're another liar and I'll make you eat that!" Through the seething crowd plunged a flying wedge of policemen to stand guard around Protestor Haake & friends. Boos, roars, catcalls sounded through the hall as the first session of Coordinator Berry's promotion party for Government & Business co-operation broke up in confusion.

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