Evening star., 1938-03-02
MONOPOLY PROBE
BYCONGRESSSEEN
Conferences at White House
Point to Request for
Inquiry.

would submit an antitrust message
soon, but gave no approximate date
The general opinion on Capitol Hill
was that he would not advocate any
new legislation until the inquiry was
completed.
Consideration of specific bills thus
would be deferred until next year, be-
cause congressional leaders hope for
an early adjournment.
Such course would be ir line with
the contention of many observers that
the administration is avoiding any
steps which might discourage an up
turn in business
Talks on Monopoly.
Mr.. Roosevelt disclosed no details
of his monopoly talks yesterday with
Attorney General Cummings, Assistant
Attorney General Jackson and Chair
man Douglas Of the Securities Com
mission
In the meantime, it was said today
by Secretary of Commerce Roper, that
more constructive suggestions for eco
nomic betterment are beginning to
come in from members of the explo-
sive little business" conference, held
here February 2-3.
President Roosevelt disclosed at his
press conference yesterday in discuss
ing business conditions, that Secretary
Roper had advised him that q partial
analysis Of suggestions in some 1000
communications growing out OF the
February meeting showed an almost
total absence OF the idea of self help"
but Mr.. Roper said today that this
picture was changing as additional
letters were studied
The Commerce Department head
reached this first conclusion on q
study of some 1900 out Of 1000 COM
munications, but he said today that
approximately 1000 more had been
digested and that these demonstrated
clearly that as the writer's had more
time to study their subject, their views
were becoming more useful"
To Make Digest Public.
The department planned this after
noon to make public digest OF the
early returns.
Il am impressed. as I believe you
will be. by the fact that these business
men require more definite study of
methods co-ordinating their views
into national visions of the Importance
Of conditions and also more definite
knowledge of operations and RESPONSE
bilities of government as related to
them," Secretary Roper told the Pres
ident in the memorandum. 1T is an
interesting thing that self-help seems
to be lacking from the analysis thus
far made of their suggestions, and
to my mind. most important, vet
vital, responsibility rests upon the
Government and our educational IA
cilities more definitely to impress the
importance of this upon our business
citizenship"
Secretary Roper told newsmen,
however, that the Government was
not taking the initiative in devising
for little business" an organization
along the lines of the Business Ad-
visory Council Some Of those attend
ing the meeting here favored such a
move, and there have been inde-
pendent efforts made in this direction,
but the Commerce Secretary indicated
clearly 1t was felt this was q matter
that was up to those concerned.
Mr.. Roper plans to attend the meet
ing arranged in Sun Valley, Idaho. in
the first week of April. by the Busi-
AAr,{cnrr Nj
ference, he explained, was prompted
by the success of that held in Decem-
Der in Chicago. participants believing
1t had the advantage of bringing to-
gether business leaders who would
not come to Washington. The Idaho
site was chosen, he explained, be-
cause those interested believed it ad-
visible to 60 further west.
In his discussion yesterday, the
President said he had no immedi-
ate changes in mind for the Ma
tional Labor Relations Act, but add
ed 1t was an evolutionary law and
he hoped it would be improved from
time to time. He placed the Social
Security and Crop Control Acts in
the same category
Letters From Manufacturers.
Letters from about IS manufacturers
and employees, Mr.. Roosevelt said,
complained that newspapers do not
give enough publicity to cases settled
by the Labor Relations Board. He
read from the boards January report
showing that of 116 strike cases 103
cases covering 5000 workers had been
settled under the act.
Mr.. Roosevelt also conferred yes
terday with Senator Glass, Democrat,
of Virginia about the latter's proposal
to regulate bank holding companies
and to prevent creation of new ones.
Among other things, Senator Glass
said the measure would restrict the
control which holding company
might exercise over the banks in
which it owns stock.
The President recently suggested the
abolition of bank holding companies.
Senator Glass, an expert on banking
legislation, originally considered plans
for eliminating them over a fve-year
period. He said he decided on q
modified form of regulation because
many communities have insufficient
resources to maintain locally owned
banks.
McAdo0 Backs Bill.
Senator McAdoo, Democrat, of Cali
fornia announced he would join Sen
ator Glass in sponsoring the regu-
latory bill.
The Glass measure shared interest
among congressional banking authori-
ties with q request by Chairman Jesse
H. Jones of the Reconstruction FL
nance Corp. that banks give borrow
ers very much longer" periods in
which to repay loans.
In letters to every bank In the coun-
try, Mr.. Jones also urged that COL
lateral requirements be made less
stringent.
Mr.. Jones informed the banks that,
upon President Roosevelt's orders, he
has made available q maximum OF
$l,50o. 100000 for direct loans to in
dustry, but he would prefer to have