Evening star., 1938-04-27
(Picture on Page BIZ

(Picture on Page BIZ
By the Associated Press.
President Roosevelt brought Henry
Ford to a honey luncheon confer
ence in the small White House
family dining room today.
Earlier plans of the Chief Execu-
tive to receive Mr.. Ford on sunny
portico just off the Executive office
were discarded. No reason was given,
but the change apparently was due
to the chilly temperature that did
not rise, even after several hours
Of bright morning sunshine.
A crowd of several hundred per-
sons awaiting a glimpse of the motor
magnate soon heard of the switch
in plans and rushed to the front
entrance of the White House from
in front of the Executive wing.
A last-minute addition to those al
the luncheon was Hall Roosevelt, the
Presidents brother-i -in-laW, who ar.
ranged this first meeting between the
President and the automobile manu-
facturer since the former took Office.
A dramatic prelude to the Roose-
velt-Ford conference was the pledge
Of Is top-ranking industrialists and
financiers to cooperate with admin
istration efforts to aid, business.
Many observers predicted their
promise Of assistance in restoring
confidence and normal business con-
ditions," apparently inspired by Mr.
Roosevelt's recent "fireside chat"
would help clear the way for new
period Of teamwork between Govern
ment and business.
May Invite Signers.
There was a prospect that Mr..
Roosevelt would invite the signers, in
Guiding Owen D. Young, General
Electric chairman, and Winthrop w.
Aldrich, chairman of the Chase Ma
tional Bank, to confer with him at
an early date.
Mr.. Ford arrived in Washington at
$40 m. today. Leaving his train alone,
he was met at Union Station by Maj. H
Cunningham, an official Of the Ford
plant at Alexandria. Edsel Ford, presi-
dent of the Ford Motor Co., and w. J.
Cameron, public relations counsel for
the company, remained on the train.
The Detroit motor magnate de-
clined to answer questions of reporters
and was non-commital when asked if
he would hold press conference after
comforting with Mr. Roosevelt.
Mr.. Ford paid half an hours visit
to the Navy Department shortly before
noon. being shown the high spots by
Assistant Secretary of the Navy
Charles Edison, son of the motor
magnate's late intimate friend, Thomas
Edison, the inventor.
Officials said the call was purely a
personal one and that no official busi-
ness was taken up. The Ford and
Edison families have long been close
friends and aides recalled that Mr..
Edison recently went to Detroit for
the 50th wedding anniversary celebra-
ton Of the Fords.
Mr.. Ford, who has been at odds
with administration policies more Of
ten than he has approved them, was
scheduled to meet the Chief Executive
about pm.
Also invited to the conference were
Mariner S. Eccles, chairman Of the
Federal Reserve Board; Edsel Ford,
son of the motor magnate, and Public
Relations Counsel Cameron.
Mr.. Roosevelt said they would discuss
economics. It was generally under
stood that this board topic included
methods proposed by the President in
an effort to end the recession.
Many persons also believed the ques-
ton of annual wages in the automobile
industry would be considered. The
Ford Brotherhood, an organization OF
Ford employees, made such proposal
early this week, but Harry Bennett, the
company's personnel chief, discour-
aged it.
Visited Hoover Here.
When Mr.. Ford visited the White
House in November, 1929, he emerged
from q conference with President
Hoover to announce plans for a wage
increase for his workers. There was
speculation in the Capital on whether
his meeting with President Roosevelt
might produce some similarly spec
tacular result.
The conference was characterized ir
Informed circles as constituting q
move by the President to emphasize
his expressed desire to enlist busines.
cooperation with his program.
Mr.. Ford, who opposed Mr.. Roose.
velt's election in 1882 and 1896, ha.
fought compliance with orders of tn.
National Labor Relations Board, ane
baked at participation in the N R. A
automobile CODE
Administration leaders, hopeful fol
a gesture of friendliness and co-opera.
ton from Mr.. Ford, made no secret Of
their pleasure over the statement o1
the 16 big business men. It was ar.
ranged through the initiative of Johr
w. Hanes, Securities commissioner
and former Wall Street broker.
The statement advised that "legis.
lation based upon untried social ane
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