Evening star., 1938-01-20

hitting reports on
current problems after exhaustive
study and earnest discussion. These
reports have with one exception never
been made public. They constitute a
remarkable serial story of the efforts
Of business to give government con-
structive suggestions.
Among business men generally it has
often been said that the Roper Coun-
Gil was too friendly to the adminis-
tration and did not stana up for busi-
ness as 1t should. This is an inaccu-
rate characterization and is due to the
fact that the council consistently ac-
ceded to the administration request
to avoid publicity and work behind
the scenes
Councils Work Praised.
This correspondent has criticized the
council for failing to make public its
reports and for failing to contact the
Congress, where the policy making
function really is vested in a democ-
facy. Today, however, after an in
vestigation of what happened Wednes-
day at the White House it can be
said that the Roper Council presented
ntelligently and forcetully the facts
about the present business recession.
And surely business men generally
could not ask more.
For up to now 1t has been averred
by partisans especially on the admin
istration side. that business was en-
gagged in some sort of conspiracy to
bring on a recession and cause the
administration political embarrass-
ment. A record of the work of the
Roper Council will reveal that it has
discussed. or made reports on. every
subject of prime importance from tax
alton to public utilities, from indus
trial planning to unemployment in
surance and social security. from prob
lens of wages and hours to collective
bargaining.
The details of these written reports
Of the past and the subject matter of
the Wednesday conference cannot be
significant unless acted upon by the
President Of the United States and
the Congress. But business has access
to Government and the Wednesday
conference demonstrated how con-
etructive the coming together of eco
nomic-minded and polltlcal-minded
personalities can work toward the de-
velopment of a better feeling of public
confidence as to the economic future.
Paved Way for Meeting.
The President himself had paved
the way for the meeting by clarifying
In advance some of the points which
had troubled business men over the
week end. Mr.. Roosevelt. for instance.
revealed to the press that he had no
hard and fast definition of holding
company in his mind when he pro-
npunced the edict that "all holding
companies" were superfluous. It ap-
pears that the President was thinking
Of holding companies organized for
some evil purpose of concentrated
control and that he did not mean to
attack holding companies which per-
form a legitimate service to the eco
nonic welfare of the country.
Again 1t was sort of admission
that offhand comments In press con-
ferences by the President are not to
be taken always as indicative Of future
trends In public policy, at least when
the discussion is informal and no
formal announcement of legislative
policy has preceded.
The important fact now to be ascer-
tanned Is what effect the things told
the President by the Roper council
will have upon him. Various groups
have conferred at the White House in
the last few weeks. generalities have
been afterwards stated to the press,
and the business world has had alter
mating feelings Of optimism and pes
simism. depending on what the Presi-
dent and advisers, such as Messrs.
1ckes and jackson have said to the
public in their speeches.
Roosevelt's Opportunity.
Mr. Roosevelt has the opportunity to
anculcate a real feeling of confidence
by working with the Roper council.
Such group, confined to the more
or less obscure precincts of the De-
partment Of Commerce. cannot pro-
duce much public confidence. But
the recommendations of such q group
II accepted and acted on by the
President Of the United States can
mean much toward the ending of the
very serious business recession which
faces the country today.
II the Roper Council were to meet
with the President himself at least
once every four or five weeks, and If
Its committees and subcommittee
were to be given friendly hearing by
leaders IN Congress-also without pub.
ucity or public debate-much might
be accomplished toward that better
understanding between government
and business which most everybody on
both sides advocates.
What has been needed right along
Is business advisory council for the
Chief Executive and for the Congress
and, in a sense, Wednesdays confer
ence was an illustration of the value
Of such an instrumentality. The men,
bers Of the Roper Council came pre-
pared by months Of previous study Of
outstanding topics of governmental
policy to lay before the President their
CoaSumnlAte Judgment on Wnat ou8nt
to be done, not in the dim and dis
tant future, but right now.
The idea Of conference between gov
ernment and business is as much on
trial as the Presidents capacity to
meet the economic groups of the coun-
try and accept that which is best for
the public interest without thought Of
political partisanship or party What
the President does about the Roper
Councils recommendations will be
watched outside Washington by bust.
nesses, large and small. to ascertain
whether constructive proposals are de-
sired and whether when presented
they are acted upon by those with
political power to put into effect sus-
gesdons made In good faith.
(Copyrtght, 1881