Detroit evening times., 1945-06-19
WESTBROOK
PECLER
fdlr n
Enough

- the personal honor and OFF,
cial integrity of the late Frank.
lin ID. Roosevelt have been
clouded by the facts so far re-
vealed and the unchallenged
statements in connection with q
loan of 5000, 900 from John Hart.
ford. president of the A. and p.
grocery chain, TO Mr.. Roosevelts
son, Elliott.
The debt was made in 1899.
In 1941. when Hartford and his
company were under fire from
Mr.. Roosevelt's department OF
justice, 1t was settled for $4,000,
or two cents on the dollar.
Even SO, Elliott did not pro-
vide the $4,000. nor did any
member of the family.
The versions of the case given
by Hartford and Caruthers
Ewing OF New York, his attor-
ney, flatly charge the late presi.
dent with highly improper cons
duct.
He is said to have sent out q
New Deal congressman TO find
some one willing to lend Elliott
$500, 900 on "unbankable" secu-
rity and is accused Of request.
ing Jesse Jones, then secretary
of commerce and head OF the
RFC, TO arrange the settle
ment whereby the debt was
almost entirely forgiven.
AT THE time of the loan.
"A Hartford's interests were
seriously threatened by a bill in
Congress which might have
taxed his chain out OF business.
At the time OF the settlement,
the department Of justice had
already begun a series of actions
under the antitrust law as a
result of which Hartford. per-
sonally. is now a defendant in
criminal trial in the federal
courts in Danville, III.
The one man involved who
should be most sensitive 10 as
PERSONS on the late presidents
honor and his official conduct
is his own son, Elliott.
And Elliott can redress mat
ters only if he is able 10 testify
convincingly that his father did
not send out scout 10 find
some one who would lend him
the money, that his father did
not speak 10 him and Hartford
by long distance phone from
Warm Springs. Ga, heartily en-
-dofstng -ttiea.Eand- -dId-net
enlist the help OF Mr.. Jones IN
washing II out.
DEMOCRATIC congressman
~ already have made a par
tlsan issue OF the straight ques-
ton OF official decency.
But the nations interest and
the historical record are more
important than the politics Of
the henchmen of the New Deal
in Congress and in the govern
ment bureaus, some OF whom
may be suspected OF personal
fear OF the consequences 10
themselves II an inquiry into
this incident should develop
into a historic scandal.
Nor is IL necessary 10 consult
Elliott Roosevelt's wishes.
He is no less susceptible 10 q
summons TO appear before a
committee Of Congress and tell
the truth on a matter Of enor-
nous Importance than j. p.
Morgan was during the Pecora
investigation in the early days
Of the New Deal.
MIR Hartford and Mr.. Ewing
should he called. of course, and
Jesse Jones owes IL 10 the
honor OF his old chief, the
president. 10 vindicate him II
he can and owes the nation q
duty TO tell the truth.
THUS far Hartford. Ewing
l. and Jones have agreed that
Elliott did borrow the money
on ''unbankable" security and
that Jones did negotiate the
settlement at Mr.. Roosevelts
request.
AS 10 whether the president
sent William Sirovich, a New
York New Deal politician, TO
discover some one willing To
make the loan. we have only
Mr.. Ewing's word, Mr.. Sirovich
having died meanwhile.
Ewing, however, is a lawyer
of good reputation whose word
has not even been challenged
in this detail and Ii may be
noted that he did not willingly
: release the story, but, on the
contrary. sent a telegram at
the eleventh hour, earnestly
recommending that il be with
held.
The question whether Hart
ford shall be allowed 10 deduct
his $4,000 loss from his tan
able income is routine matter
for decision.
He did not try 10 collect the
loan as the law requires and
the initiative came from the
debtors side when il finally
was settled.
So. perhaps, the loss is not
deductible as bad debt but
deductible nevertheless as a
stock loss.
For that matter, he may
reckon that he might have had
to pay a tax of about $4,000
on that 100000 even If he had
not loaned the money.
ELLIOT'T, however, obviously