Business: Carter's Auto Rescue Sortie

First aid for Detroit and a new three-way partnership for the industry

Like a battlefield tactician, Jimmy Carter last week jetted halfway round the world in a two-pronged attack on the problems of the American auto industry. First he summoned auto-company officials to a 7:05-a.m. meeting at Detroit's Metro Airport to announce a $1 billion Government assistance program. Then he hopped back aboard Air Force One and flew off to Tokyo for a memorial service honoring the late Japanese Prime Minister, Masayoshi Ohira. Though autos were not on the agenda of the President's 21-hour...