The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1907-11-15

| WASHINGTON. d, G. Nov. ls.---Se
cretary Stmus OF the Department o
Commerce and Labor has invited a mum
Der OF commercial bodies TO meet witt
him on December 5th to consider me
thods OF establishing closer relations be
tween the commercial bodies OF The
country and the Department. Those in
yited to send delegates include Ia,
Chamber OF Commerce OF New York City
and the New York Board OF Trade and
Transportation; the Chambers OF Com.
merce OF Atlanta. New Orleans, Boston,
Minneapolis, st. Paul. Cincinnati. Cleye.
Land, Portland. Oregon. Pittsburg. Char
lesion, 5, G., Galveston. Richmond. Sc.
attic and Milwaukee; the Boaris Of
Trade Of Chicago. Baltimore and Phil.
adelphia and the Merchants Exchange
OF Cincinnati. SO many cities are inter.
ested in this proposition that II was i'm.
possible to accommodate delegates from
all at one time and consequently several
conferences will be held.
The idea of these conferences ia TO
erystalixe the work OF extending our
foreign commerce in manufactures and
they will be held during the winter for
the effect their action is expected to
work of extending our foreign commerce
has been largely increased during the
past few years, especially since the or.
ganixaticn OF the department OF Com.
merce and Labor AMI Of the Bureau Of
Manufactures. ut the same time the
United States ia far behind other
countries in its study Of commercial
conditions and its efforts to push the
sale of its manufactured products. Con.
plant is often heard Of the progress
made by Germany and other countries
and the lack of effort on the part of our
manufacturers to press their goods In
foreign markets. whereas the success oil
the German merchants could be more
correctly attributed to the indefatigable
efforts of the German government to
find markets for German manufacturers.
A striking illustration OF the difference
between what the German Government |
ioes in this direction and what ID done
by the United States. Is a comparison
between offices Of the American Con.
sulate General at Berlin and that OF the
German Consulate General at New York.
which offices may be considered OF equal
Importance to their respective countries.
The American Consulate General at Ber.
in is assisted by deputy who acts as
onsul general in the absence OF his chief,
md who is charged with responsible
work all the time. and who draws the
salary OF $1,000 per year.
The staff consists OF three clerks with
till sammer salaries, together with
leputy consul general who receives no
The staff OF the German
Consulate General at New York consists
Il Consul General, one consul, three
ice consuls, one commercial attache and
|. force OF translators. clerks, ETC., max
ng a whole staff of about thirty persons.
n more than that of the entire Bureau
t Manufactures of the Department OF
commerce and Labor, which Is charged
With the promotion OF commerce with
he whole world. While the time of our
onsuls 10 taken up with routine work
he foreign office and the Department of
I Commerce of Germany are promptly
uppIed with up to date information on
ny matter which may have the remotest
caring upon German interests In the
Inited States or upon man.Ameriean
elations anywhere in the world, because !,
hey have men with expert knowledge
nd free from routine work stationed In |
he principal centers Of the world fort
hat purpose.
In connection with the coming confer
noes an official of the Department of
ommerce and Labor today said: 1T is !
ighly important that the people for
hose benefit the work Of the Depart
ent is to be done be kept in close touch
ith it. Today there Is no provision
n systematic cooperation between the
apartment and the various commercial
Id trade associations which are most !
fected by its work. Except for the
rrespondence which goes on betweenl
e Department and individual business 7
rms and occasionally some commercial !,
ganization there is no medium by
hichI regular interchange Of opinion +
ID active cooperation on a comprehen- =
va scale could faka nIana While o,,ri