Ashland tidings. [volume] (Ashland, Or.) 1876-1919, 1914-07-20
Commercial AttaChe
For Northwest

The claim of the Pacific northwest
to be represented by at least one
appointment to the position of COM
mercial attache at an embassy
abroad has been strongly urged upon
w. c. Redfield, secretary of COM
merce, by the industrial survey de-
partment of the University of Ore
gon school of commerce. In the poll
tics of making the appointment the
university people will stand entirely
aside, but Director H. b. Miller is
making every effort to lay before
Secretary Redfield compelling bust
ness reasons why this section should
be represented.
The position of commercial attache
is new, having been authorized by
congress only recently. 1t is intend
ed to give the department of COM
merce the same representation
abroad that has hitherto been en-
joyed by other departments through
naval and military attaches. No ap-
pointments have yet been made.
Mr.. Miller based his brief upon
powerful showing of the vast native
resources of the northwest, and the
need of building up a great COM
merce to make possible their develop
ment. The imminence of the north
west immigration problem subse-
quent to the completion of the Pan
anna canal and at the same time the
opportunities for increased trade
with Europe which this event will
create led to the suggestion that one
or more European embassies be as
signed to the representative or repre-
sentatives from the northwest. 1t is
Europe, Mr.. Miller points out, from
which the northwest will get it's
greatest flow of immigration, where
il can learn most in power and study
of industries, and where it looks for
the greatest expansion of trade.
AS backing for such an attacne, if
one is appointed from the northwest,
Mr.. Miller was able to offer the sup
port at home of a unique organiza-
tion, which would serve at all times
to double the usefulness of the at
tache in his duties abroad. The in
dustrial survey department of the
university school of commerce will be
engaged at all times in collecting
just such an industrial and CONNER
cial data as a commercial attache
abroad will need in order to be ef-
fective in opening up trade relations
between the country to which he is
assigned and the undeveloped eX-
panses of the northwest. There is
nowhere else in existence just such
an agency for bringing together and
putting into available and authorita-
tive form the data collected, often
at great expense by commercial
clubs, chambers of commerce, agri-
cultural interests, railroads. local Of
ficials, and the numerous bureaus OF
the federal government. The De-
partment of Industrial Survey itself
is under the direction of a veteran
OF the consular service in many ports
all over the world, who rose to the
consul generalship at Yokohama, the
strategic point of the far east, and
who thoroughly understands the
possibilities of foreign trade for the
northwest.
It is urged upon Secretary Red.
field that there could be no thought
of neglecting the interests of eastern
manufacturers or commerce, for the
east is the northwest's best market
and source of supplies, but it is
strongly argued that to aid in the
development of the great region OF
the United States where development
is most plainly due, there must be
men who understand at first hand
the peculiar conditions existing here