Evening star., 1914-02-11
Chamber of Commerce of
U. S. Holds Its Opening
Session Here.
H. A. WHEELER. PRESIDENT.
SHOWS GROWTH OF BODY
Cites Importance of Organization in
Its Relation to Heads of
the Government.

Representatives. Of nearly 20 aon ~,
diNidual business mon and of moro than
80 commercial and Industrial organiza-
lions met at the New Willard Hotel
TODAY for the opening session of ~.
second annual convention Of the Cham
bfr Of Commerce Of the United states.
which IS 10 last three .iays. With tb.,n
came a number Of the leading political
economists of the universities OF the
country. to add their word to what the
business men viii have to say
'hief interest in the beginning of the
convention. aside from the fact that the
business men have com. here. to fur
nish in the capital. because il is the
seat Of government. information in rc-
gard to their attitude toward the add
Ininistration's proposed anti-trust log
islati"n. WAS exhibited today in th.. :u-
dress OF II. \. Wheeler of Chicago. re-
tiring president of the Organization
Cites Chambers Growth.
Mr.. Wheeler told of the strength and
growth Of the national cornm.rcs
chamber. and characterized his talk
as one that would not prove, perhaps,
merely good reading but could he best
described as 'Ecsiri-to- heart tall.
concerning the result ot the twenty
two months IN which he has laborcd
10 guide the organization.
II | could touay pass in review be-
fore YOU. MIR. Wheeler told th. con-
Nention. the commercial federations
OF the world. YOU would fnd that there
is not one that VIII compare in nu-
merical strength or. perhaps. in IN
fnence with the Commerce Chamber OF
the United States.
The action Of Your board OF directors
has been typical of american business
men They have. not been content 10 sit
down and say Yes, there is need Tor
such an organization and her. are ia
a receptive mood To take applications for
membership and receive resources How
un-American that would have been The
members of your board visuaized the tre-
mendous efforts before it. the. enormous
business interests of this country 80
widely scattered, which needed 10 be
brought together. and they declared TO
themselves, This task is worthy of the
effort American business men with their
great ideals, may make and We Will 20
10 it.
Ahead of All Questions.
We have found ourselves three months
ahead of cyery question coming up in the
nited states with which we ilaNt been
concerned, and we now have. We believe
concrete representa- ton that We do NOT
think can be broken up. We came into
existence at period Of reconstruction OF
many Of our old ideas business men
and after sending a field force to comb
every nook and Granny of the United
states we may say that We have gotten
together.
This is true to such an extent THAI
In future. when what ] may cali coll
iectIveiy. american business wishes 10
speak. il may now go 10 Congress OF
10 the executive and say. TINS is the
opinion Of American business not from
the point Of view of New York or san
Francisco. or Chicago, or Seattle, but
from the whole United States
As a result OF this organization Sllch
an expression of opinion already has
been made To congressional commit te.s
f"i the tirst time in the Gnited State<'
history from American business as
such, ana say To you that YOU must
continue TO make ii clear 10 Congress
and to the governing authorities thai
the views you express are not the opIll-
ions Of individuals. of specific, or
carnations but that they are national
American business opinion