Evening star., 1934-07-01
Attorney, However, Denies
Letter Submitted by Agent
Is From Company.
MOTOR CONCERN HELD
ELIGIBLE FOR U. S. BIDS
Administrator Reveals Confer
ence With Woodring and
Representative Kvale.
BY the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
Hugh s. johnson said yesterday that
Henry Ford's motor company had
certified past. present and future
compliance with N. r. AS code for
the automobile industry.
An unsigned letter Of compliance,
stamped "The Ford Motor Co." was
submitted to the recovery admins
traitor by a local agent. It was re-
vised slightly and then reported ap-
proved over the telephone by a De-
troit official of the huge automobile
concern.
In Detroit, Louis ,d Colombo, an
attorney for the Ford company. said
the letter in Johnson's possession was
not from the company. He indicated
the relationship between Ford's organ
ization and the N. r. A. would re-
main unchanged until such a letter
bore the signature Of some of the
responsible officials of the company.
johnson already has returned the
letter for signing by a responsible Ford
official.
This new step by the Industrial
ist, which johnson said restores to
Ford an opportunity to bid on mil
lions of dollars in Government con-
tracts, was arranged by Harry H.
woodring, Assistant Secretary of War
in charge of procurement, and Rep
resentative Kvale, Farmer -Laborite of
Minnesota, a member of the House
Military Committee investigating War
Department contracts.
tJphnson Gives Information.
johnson told the story Of Ford's
compliance at special press con-
ference, called after he had told re-
porters earlier that Ford has certi-
fed compliance with the automobile
code"
Friday, johnson said, Woodring and
Kvale called in the interest Of re-
turning Ford to the bidding status
denied by his past refusal to certify
that he SIS complying with and will
continue to comply with" the auto
mobile code.
"I told them I couldn't do anything
unless Ford signed; he was comply
ing" johnson said.
To-day Kvale and Sabine came In
and Sabine gave me letter addressed
to him by the Ford Motor Co. AS
well as I remember it, the letter said:
1.-The Ford Motor Co. has complied
and will continue to comply with all
the pertinent provisions of the auto
mobile code.
1--WE reserve, however, our consti-
tutional statutory rights"
Agree to Change.
81 suggested that the last sentence
be changed to read: We reserve.
however, such rights as we may be
of Jurisdiction
II then called Cameron on the tele-
phone, read him the letter as revised
and asked him: is this your letter?'
He said yes"
The Sabine referred to by Johnson
is r. P. Sabine of the Northwest
Motor Co. at Bethesda, Md. Sabine
has been prominent Ford bidder for
Government contracts and brought
LIl6 iCculOCd Al eAAS
recent decision that Ford could not
get a contract without certifying
compliance.
The Cameron is william Cameron.
head of the Ford Co.'S publicity bu-
reau. During his press conference,
johnson tried to reach Cameron again
for a further check, but failed. He
also was unable to get either Henry
Ford or Edsel Ford, on the telephone.
johnson said the letter was re-
turned to Sabine to obtain proper
signature from the Ford company.
1t was thought likely that Edsel, as
president of the company, would sign.
The change in the letter suggested
by johnson was understood to be
prompted by President Roosevelt's op-
position to any language even hint
ing that constitutional rights were
infringed.
Its a certificate of compliance so
far as I'm concerned" johnson said.
"I wouldn't make any point about a
form compliance certificate"
johnson obviously. was pleased with
the development which ended In a
victory for N. r. A. after months Of
controversy.
IT think the intent of the letter is
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