The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-10-26
Will Be Here Until Noon Wednesday Studying Con-
 ditions in Birmingham
NO PESSIMISM FOUND
 DURING THE TRIP
President of Chamber Talks of Condi- tions as Found in Cities Already Visited--Commercial Attaches
 Will Be With Party

The board of directors and officers or the Chamber of Commerce. of the United States. representing 800, oOo of the leading bushes men of America vii! arrive in Birmingham tomorrow morning at s:52 and win devote their time until noon Wednesday to a study of the industrial. commercial and edu- cational development of the city.
 The Chamber of Commerce of the United States is the national federation of the commercial organizations of America, uniting the business men@of 4T states and having branches in Paris, Berlin and Constantinople Though but l'ttlc moro than two years have elapsed since its inception, it is today the larg- est body of its kind in the world, and the only national body capable of voic- ing the sentiment of American com merco as whole when questions as- focting national commerce are up for consideration by the federal authori- ties.
 First Tour of South
 In order to gain opportunity for per sonal observation of present business conditions in the south, and to come more closely in touch with it's member ship in this section the directors are making their first tour of the south, cevoting three weeks time to their journey through nine great southern commonwealths
 This latest study of southern business and opportunity is of unusual interest because the directors of the national organization come from all parts of the country and the national chamber as whole embraces every line of commercial, financial and industria! activity of the nation.
 or no less importance to the south IS the presence as guests of the direc- tors of two of the newly appointed commercial attaches of the United States department of commerce. They ara making the tour, through the cour- tesy If Secretary Redfield. preparatory to proceeding to their posts abroad and taking up their new duties. The ex- elusive function of the new corps of commercial attaches of whom Secre- tary Redfield has appointed nine, is to promote American trade with the countries to which they are respec- lively assigned. To act as ambassadors lot American business abroad and to create and stimulate the demand for American goods in foreign lands.
 Commercial Attaches Coming
 The attaches who are members of the party are: Dr. C. w. A. Veditz, aa- signed to France, Belgium and Spain and Switzerland. with headquarters at Paris; Edwin w Thompson. assigned to Germany. Holland and Scandinavia With headquarters at Berlin. They arc visiting the south pursuant to instruc- tions from Secretary Redfield, in or der that they may become in personal contact with southern bushes men ac. lively or prospectively interested in export trade. They are familiar with trade conditions generally in the countries to which they have been as- signed and during their stay in the southern cities visited are desirous of confe rring with local bushes men in- terested in foreign trade development
 The result of their investigation of the eight states and 15 southern cities so far visited by the directors in ,heir great swing around the circle in Dixie, has been a revelation to them.
 Nowhere" declared President John II. Fahey in giving his observations of southern conditions during the tour, have we found any evidence of that unreasoning pessimism which it has been intimated was prevalent here Of course. with record breaking cotton crop for which many farmers were cxpe cting 12 cents and greater influx of riches than ever before. it has been decidedly disconcerting to have a great European war knock the prospect in the head over night. Nevertheless, we havo found that the southern business men have taken hold of their problem with spirit that is splendid and are working day and night to straighten out the tangle
 Optimism Found Everywhere
 "A spirit of optimism founded on the firm foundation of tho south's un- limited resources" continued Presiden. Fahey. "is apparent everywhere. Tho business leaders of the south are cer- tainly not failing to see ahead. but are going on with their preparations for handling the growing trade to Cen tral and South America and the far east. Wharyes and terminals are be- ing built in almost every port. agricul- tural projects and extensions are go- ing straight ahead; the merchants and l.