Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1935-05-24
PRESSURE TESTING
PRESIDENTS SKILL
His Ability in Conciliating
Conflicting interests Is
Put to Test.
BIZ DAVID LAWRENCE.

become tll6 local Poiht "a PAcoS0AS
from groups representing business and
labor and agriculture and finance IN
what Is the most extraordinary con-
fiict of interest of his whole admins
tration.
The Presidents skill as concili-
ator of opposite viewpoints. as medi-
ator between rival positions and as a
negotiator with the committees Of
Congress has never been put to a
greater test.
Within the last 48 hours word has
come to the Capitol and, undoubt-
eddy, to the White House, that bust
ness and industry are alarmed be-
yond the point that expresses fear
psychology, with the exception of the
state Of mind around the time OF the
bank holiday.
Personal Move Required.
The feeling that business and in
dustry had reached a crisis and could
not 60 ahead without an open refusal
to obey the unconstitutional proposals,
the knowledge that series OF strikes
and industrial disputes of an un-
precedented character is in the max
ing, and the loss of confidence in the
administrators willingness to give
MANAGEMENT a chance to cooperate
for real recovery all raised such
doubts and misgivings that the Pres
ident had to take a personal hand in
the whole situation.
Just what the outcome will be Is
uncertain now But the climax came
with the passage by the Senate OF the
Wagner labor disputes bill. which in
dustry regards as declaration OF war
and as the beginning Of an era that
will spell economic chaos.
In the middle of the severe reac-
ton against the Wagner bill. confer
ences were held in New York and
Chicago and Washington. Members
of the Business Advisory Council,
known as the Roper Council" hur-
ried here and relayed their impress
sions back to absent members or to
leaders of industrial groups.
Atmosphere Tense.
Twice on Thursday the President
gave up a good deal OF his time for
discussions with members OF the
Roper Council The atmosphere is
tense with uncertainty because all the
efforts made by business men for six
months to bring about cooperation
with the administration had appar-
emily gone for naught when this
week began.
Mr.. Roosevelt has tried to Offset
some of the gloomy impressions by
taking two steps:
First, ne has given a definite pledge
against printing press money and cur
rency imitation. This is believed TO
be intended to mollify some of the
opposition to the banking bill.
Second. he has sent for members
OF congressional committees having In
charge major pieces of legislation to
see what can be done to amend the
proposals so as to make them less
objectionable to the opponents. The
conferences at the White House are
described by the business men as
cordial and hopeful" but whether
they are helpful depends on results.
Fear Efforts Futile.
The particular subject of apprehen-
sion is the way Congress has gone
ahead with legislation without any
word apparently from the White
House to take into account the opposi-
ton points and suggestions mentioned
in the various Roper council reports.
If there Is to be no spirit Of give
and take, no effort to realize the
value of the cooperative idea, then
many members of the Roper Coun-
Gil feel the organization is futile and
that nothing further can be gained
by keeping it alive.
1t is necessary, Of course, for the
President to keep to himself the
strategy he is employing. But on
the Wagner bill, the latest word is
that he is trying to get some amend
ments written into the House bill
so as to make 1t less Objectionable
to industry and yet safeguard labor's
main benefit-namely, collective bar
gaining.
As for the amendments to the
agricultural adjustment act, these are
about to be debated in the House.
Some of the features which were the
subject of strenuous objection have
been removed, but it will not be
known whether the real point at issue
namely, the right Of the Depart
ment of Agriculture to set itself up
as dictator Of food and processing
businesses-is to be retained until the
Senate has acted.
Extension O. X. Qualified.
Then there's the N. r. A. extension
bill. Some changes are wanted by
industry. The impression that the
Roper council approved the two-year
extension unqualifledly is wrong. 1t
favored the two-year idea, all right,
but not without specific reservations.
The trading between the Senate and
House conferees on this will be most
interesting to watch.
Mr.. Roosevelt probably Is coming
TO realize that with the left wing ham
mering hard at him through such
speeches as Father Coughlin and Huey
Long are making, and with the right
wing disgruntled because 1t has hardly
had even courteous treatment on the
part OF high administration officials,
the whole recovery process Is bound to
suffer. Hence what happens this week
may shape the administrators des-
tiny to an extent far more important
than any similar period since the
bank holiday.
Business and industrial leaders
everywhere are waiting to learn from
Washington whether they may expect
efforts at recovery or chaos and de-
moralization of business in the next
several months. The decision is pe-
culiarly In the hands of the Presi-
dent, who may this month be passing
through the crisis Of his whole career.