Evening star., 1938-02-02
Business
Continued From First Page)

divisions are not rigid. but may be
broken up by the respective conferees
as needed. George H. Bigee. a men,
Der of the Social Security Board, is
sitting in on the social security con-
ference and representatives from the
Department of Commerce on all the
other groups.
The program calls for these greulN
discussions to be continued all after
noon and then followed by another
general meeting tomorrow morning, at
which the results of the individual
sessions will be discussed.
The conference with the President is
to We held tomorrow at $3.50 pm, but.
so far as was indicated today, it has
not been decided how the representa-
tives Of the conference will be chosen
In his prepared speech to the con-
ference this morning. Secretary Roper
presented a greeting from President
Roosevelt who said:
L welcome YOU to Washington.
Your meeting, called by the Secretary
Of Commerce at my request. is in
tended more intimately to acquaint
me with the problems of smaller busi-
nesses. I anticipate that the sugges-
tions resulting from your conference
will be very helpful to me. 1 am,
therefore. looking forward to con-
ferring with your committee at the
White House tomorrow afternoon"
Explains Invitations.
At the outset, Secretary Roper ex-
planned that it had been possible to
send invitations to only about 800
business people "of the much greater
number whose interest has been mani
tested by letter and otherwise since
this conference was suggested" He
said, however, that letters had been
sent to those who had not been IN
vlted, advising that the administration
will be glad to have their suggestions
February 10
Il hope 1t is clear. therefore" Secre-
tary Roper said, that we have not
picked the personnel of this confer
ence. 1t is interesting, however, that
requests to attend have been received
from A States. Certainly all having a
constructive interest in the detectives
Of this meeting will be accorded full
opportunity to make their views
known.
We are all American citizens striv-
Ing for justice for all and recognize
that If all would prosper it is funda-
mental that all segments must pros
per-
Secretary Roper said the Govern
ment has recognized the importance
of small business and had attempted
to correct maladjustments. Under
these conditions, he added, the con-
ference provides an ideal way in which
the small business people themselves
can interchange their views.
This is your meeting and should be
conducted by you SO as to bring out
concrete interpretations of conditions
which committee to be designated by
this conference will in turn present in
such form tomorrow at the conference
table with the President" Mr.. Roper
said. Eventually you will wish to de-
velop in clear relief those problems in
the solution of which you feel the Fed
eral Government can constructively
cooperate with you.
The President therefore, Is looking
forward to receiving your committee
with the suggestions which your con-
ference will finally formulate and in
the solution Of which the Federal Gov
ernment can render assistance"
Business Problems Outlined.
Business problems naturally divide
themselves through analysis into two
general groups" he continued, those
which can and should, be worked out
privately on your own initiative or
through the cooperation Of proper
agencies locally, and those which
under present disturbed and NAL
adjusted conditions at least tempo
rarily, will require the assistance Of
the Federal Government.
In other words, efforts to perma.
nently help business must not leave
out of consideration the fact that our
greatest assets are ''uman resources
and the greatest attribute is human
initiative. This initiative needs to
be encouraged and not to be dis
couraged"
Chairman Jones told the conference
there is no class Of people" Of more
concern to President Roosevelt than
are business men. He outlined the
lending activities Of the r. r. e. and
said I'VE stand ready to do. anything
We can to help" -.-..-.
The frst note Of criticism Of I'd.