The Washington times., 1912-04-22
GR[ETS
LARGE DELEGATION
TO CIVIC CONGRESS
Seven Hundred Men Assem-
bic Here to Discuss Pro-
posed Organization.

WV hhNaS W @ioSuSS ~
posed Organization.
Addresses by President Taft, Secrs-
tary Nsgel, and Harry A. Wheeler,
of Chicago, marked the opening ses-
sion at the willard this morning of
the proposed National Commercial
Congress. More than 700 delegates
representing chambers of commerce
and boards of trade were present and
heard warnings against attempting to
discuss concrete problems before per-
manent organization is effected.
President Taft spoke briefly and
Secretary Nagel at length. Mr.. Nagel
| touched on many of the vital ques-
| tions of the day as illustrating the
| need of cooperation between organic
! ed business and the Government. Mr..
Nagel suggested in the course OF his
address that Federal Incorporation
| of trusts and the continuation of the
! tariff board are desirable. but he in
troduced these topics, he said by way
| of Illustration OF his main PROPOSE
| tion that the Government needs the
| aid of a national, representative body
| of business interests. to work out
the solution of economic questions.
The danger in an i1troductery ad.
| accompanied by Lieutenant Rockwell
and Secretary Hilles, SIS that one
may say too much. We want your
association with the Government in
reference to business and business
welfare. but we do not wish to limit
| your discretion"
Would Not Dictate.
| Secretary Nagel told the delegates
cit is not the purpose of any repre-
| sentative of the Government to at
| tempt to control or even to direct
| your deliberations. Above all 1t will
be necessary to suppress everything
| in the nature of antagonism or in
| sistence upon prejudged plans. The
| immediate problem is solely to adopt
| a plan for an effective organization,
| representative OF every industrial and
commercial organization of the coun-
| try, prepared after its organization
to give counsel and support to the
! general branches of the Government"
| Mr.. Nagel pointed out that the first
attempts by the Government to deal
with economic problems have consisted
| in the passage of restrictive laws as the
| antitrust act and the interstate COM
| merce act.
THE antitrust law" he said. was
measure to bring order out of chaos.
After many years OF doubt and expert
ment litigation and reorganization, the
country Is persuaded this law must
| stand in Its essential purpose and that
1t has been held vindicated by success
full enforcement without immunity or
discrimination. But, again. new sys-
tenn has presented new problems; the
negative measure in the opinion OF
many must be supplemented by positive
measures"
Up To U. S. Courts.
Mr.. Nagel went on to urge that now
only the United States court can deal
with changes in the scope of corpora
tions. prospective concerns ought to
be able TO tell in advance upon what
conditions they may enter the field of
competition and established concerns
ought to be advised upon what basis
they may organize or reorganize."
This declaration for administrative,
rather than judicial conduct, of big cor
porations brought applause as did the
statement that the tariff ought to be
taken out of politics, we are agreed.
But the statement by Mr.. Nagel that
the tariff board ought to be continued
received a less hearty reception.
Mr.. Nagel then called Harry A.
Wheeler, of Chicago, former president
of the Chicago Association of Com
merce, to the chair as temporary chair
Hotels Are Thronged.
Washington hotels are thronged to-
day with representatives OF cham
bers of commerce, boards OF trade,
commercial clubs, transportation as
sociations, and like bodies from every
State in the Union. Far away Alaska
is represented by James Wickersham m
and Hawaii has three men on the
delegate list and the American
Chamber of Commerce OF Paris,
| France, has nominated representa-
tives here, these being Henry Cash
ard and William s. Dalliba.
The District of Columbia is repre-
sented at the conference by delegates
from the Board of Trade, the Cham
| Der of Commerce., the Rivers and
| Harbors Congress- the American Civic
Association, and the National League
of Commission Merchants The dele
Washing ngton-American civic Asso-
citation, ]. Horace Mcfarland. r. B.
; Watrous, William B. Rowland, A. II:
/ Trade. John Joy Edison, Robert \.
) Harper H. T. Newcomb, Albert F.
:: Fox, Chris J. Gockeler, Charles e.
Kern: Bureau of Railway Economics,
l.. G. Mcpherson, +. H. Dixon; Cham
ber of Commerce, Albert Schulteis.
George Y. Worthington. D. ]. Gala
han, r. c. Handy. John Evans. 3. H.
, | warner NdllOndl LSoSuS VI SOh
mission Merchants of the United
States, r. S. French; National Rivers
and Harbors Congress, e, F. Droop,
NJ. 1. Weller, J. Hampton Moore,
: James II. Davidson. S. A. Thompson
} Southern Commercial Congress, G.
| Grosvenor Dave. c. J. Owens; Nation
l al Board OF Trade, W. S. Harvey.
= Virginia Delegates.
l Virginia delegates come from Alexan.
dria, Lynchburg. Newport News, Rich
: mond, and Roanoke, the following hav
ing been appointed:
Observation-Disclosures of commerc'
Gncorporated), ]. Y. Williams. j. Louis
Loose, j. T. Preston. Lynchburg-BoarC
:, of trade, John c. Dabney; chamber o.
commerce, c. G. Craddock, E. p. Miller
K. T. Watts, P. f. Dove; Retail Mer
chants Association. Norman H. John
son, d. B. Ryland. Newport News
Chamber of commerce, w. B. Livezey
r. l. Mason, d. w. Williamson, w. S
Upshur, w f. Barrett Richmond
d Southern Hardware Jobbers Associa
o ton, John Donnan. Roanoke-Chambe
!, ! of commerce. william L. Shafer.
In Maryland, Bel Air and Fredericl
d have sent delegates, besides Baltimore
|, | the list from this State including: