New Britain herald., 1914-08-11
START UP EXPORTS
 FIRST NECESSITY,
foIt.g1 frsdts Council Ac.S 10 Re.
 Iltve Commerce Congestion.

New York, Aug. 11.-The National Foreign Trades council held d special meeting here yesterday to take meas ures for the relief of the congestion of foreign commerce due to the Euro pean war. James A. Farrell, presi- dent of the United States Steel cor poration and chairman of, the council opened the meeting with statement of the seriousness of the situation and with plea for practical action rather } than discussion. Mir. Farrell said that the first necessity was to start exports moving.
 1t was agreed that the council, which consists of thlrty-five national representative manufa cturers, bank CTS, merchants, railroad and steam ship men, collectively standing for the general interest of all clements ea- gagged in or affected by foreign trade should work for national unity of action in setting American export and import trade free from the paralysis of transportation. The council de- cided to maintain daily touch with all its members in all parts of the United States and with the numerous com mercial and industrial organizations which have telegraphed to it for in- formation regarding shipping. Its object is to cooperate with every ef- fective agency for the extension as American commerce.
 Whole Country Represented.
 Although the meeting was called 1t short notice, members came from every part of the United States
 committee was appointed to
 
 This committee submitted resolutions which were adopted, urging the prompt passage of the bill now pend- ing in congress which would provide immediate means to increase the American merchant marine; and rec. ommending that the government at reasonable rates on both the hulls and the cargoes of American vessels engaged in oversea trade.
 Resolutions Transmitted.
 In order to speed the accomplish ment of the proposed relief measures the resolutions were immediately transmitted to President Wilson, Sec retary Bryan, Secretary of the Treas try McAdoo, Secretary of Commerce Redfield, Senator James A. O'Gorman, chairman of the senate interoceanic canals committee, who has the pens, ing shipping registry bill in charge, and to congressional party leaders.
 Ascommittee to be headed by James A. Farrell was appointed to represe 1t the council at the conference of ship ping and banking interests called by Secretary McAdoo to meet in Wash ington on Friday.
 Committee of Five. V,
 In order that action truly represent ing the interests of all sections of the country may be taken as necessity arises, a committee of five was ap- pointed to maintain communication with all members of the council throughout the country and to meet daily in New York for the purpose of taking such further action as necessity requires. This committee consists of James A. Farrell, John D. Ryan. pres- ident of the Amalgamated Copper Co, New York; F. A. s. Franklin, vice president of the International Mercantile Marine, New York; E. A. S. Clarke, president of the Lacka- wanna Steel Cc., New York, and E. P. Thomas, president of the United states Steel Products Co., New fork.
 James J. Hill, MT. Farrell an1 others expressed the opinion, and even with upwards of 100 foreign built ships ready to come under the American flag, if the bill passed, the present rates of insurance were so high that the movement of commerce would still be retarded. For this req son the recommendation for govern ment insurance was adopted, tbe council endorsing the principle and not urging any particular method. The general sentiment was that with the shipping registry bill enacted and the insurance question placed upon a reasonable basis the equilibrium of the exchange would soon be restored as an incident of renewed movement of exports and imports.