New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-10-31
Influential Committee to Place
New Reasons Authoritative
" Before Government.
SIR T. Upton OPTIMISTIC
Non. Political Body Will Urge
Premier Asquith to Recon
slider His Attitude-sup-
port in the Press.
IBy Gable to The Tribune.l

1ondon oct 31.-An influential Brit
ish committee is now in process Vi
organization as a result of an indepeh-
dent movement which has the backing
of many important commercial ana
financial interests in this country, win
view to asking the government TO re-
consider it's decision against othclai
narticipation in the Panama eXposl-
ton
II is felt that further consideration OF
the matter may well lead to change
in the attitude OF the government ana
i, is the object Of the organizing com
mittee to place authoritatively before
the government later information when
has been obtained in favor of reversing
or substantially modifying its policy in
this matter.
With this purpose in view the Prime
Minister will shortly be asked to re-
ceive deputation which will lay the
views of the committee before him. Sir
Thomas Upton. after an interview last
night with a member of the Cabinet,
said
81 have great hope that if certain
financial details can be arranged Great
Britain will be officially represented at
San Francisco. The financial difh-
culties are not think, insuperable.
Men on the Committee.
The committee is non-poliucaL us
membership comprises such prominent
Liberals as Lords Aberconway ana
Cowdray. and such well known Union
lists as John :. Harmood- Banner. Sir
J. Fortescue Flannery and Sir Charles
Allen, as we'll ds the chairmen of the
Cunard. the White Star and the Allan
lines. Sir Algernon Freeman Firth,
president Of the Associated Chambers
OF Commerce of the United Kingdom;
Stanley Machin, vice president Of the
London Chamber of Commerce, and
Lord Graham, son OF the Duke of
Montrose, as we'll as representative
manufacturers from all parts Of the
United Kingdom.
In their editorials this morning most
London newspapers call the govern
ment's attention to the organization Of
the committee and urge reconsidera-
zion of its previous decision.
The Times" in an editorial headed
"A Retrievable Error" says: we are
glad to find that an influential British
committee has been formed TO press
upon the government the importance of
altering its decision not to take part in
the Panama Exposition. Already there
is material for a reconsideration Of the
circumstances in which the govern
ment arrived at it's decision at the be-
ginning of August, but this is not all.
Figures are now available which
were not then at the disposal of the
government showing that the Pacific
coast of the United States annually
imports by water and rail from the
United Kingdom goods of value of
more than E12,000,OO0 and the new
American tariff. passed since Parlia-
ment adjourned, has now come into OPP
Grafton. The reduction in the Ameri-
can tariff, with all its possibilities for
the extension of British trade in the
United States. is in itself now a fact.
We might change the momentum of
or policy on such a question.
First Ideas Removed
The first idea prevalent in America,
that the governments decision re-
flected British pique at the dispute over
the Panama tolls, has, we are con-
WINGED, been removed. The first idea
prevalent in the mind Of our own gov
eminent, that there was no sufficient
desire here for British representation
and that the occasion would not JUS
tify the cost, must be disappearing with
further knowledge. 1t will be for the
newly organized British committee to
provide the government with the OPP
portunity to retrace its steps,
THE Daily Chronicle" says: 1T is
gratifying 10 note that the question of
British participation in the Panama
Exposition has not been shelved. A
particularly influential committee has
been formed for the purpose of press
ing on the government the advantages
our trade will gain by being repre-
scented at San Francisco. The compost