The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1914-11-25
u. S. Well Informed
AS To Needs OF
Warning Countries
(By Associated Press.

Washington, Nov. 25.-Through
close cooperation with departments
of the federal government here the
Chamber of Commerce of the United
States is keeping virtually the entire
business community of the country
fully Informed of all DEVELOPMENTS
OF the European war that reflect di-
rectly upon the commerce of the
United States, domestic or foreign.
The national alliance of more than
900 commercial organizations was
created early in 1912. The member
ship of the chamber stretches into
every nook and corner of the coun-
try. Included in its 600 allied Or
ganizations are great ana small
chambers of commerce in every state
and every commercially important
city Of the Union. Their total in
dividual membership passes the
quarter million mark and every line
of industry in the country is repre-
sented.
With the outbreak of the Euro
pean war the need of specific infor-
nation as to its probable and actual
influence on business conditions was
very urgent. Under the direction of
Elliott H. Goodwin, general secre-
tary of the national chamber, the
clerical force already organized here
to form a clearing house of national
and international information on
business conditions, was augmented
and it's energies directed to meeting
the emergency. The bi-weekly bulle-
tins sent out to members were in
creased in scope. They took up sub
ject by subject problems of neutral
ity regulations, contraband procla-
nations by warning powers, con-
gressional enactments to meet war
emergencies as they developed, the
banking situation, thee otton crisis
and every new factor affecting bust
ness, brought up by the war. Twice
a week members were advised spe-
cifically of developments in each
case. The chamber has force OF
trained men at work among the de.
partments following up every CLUE
to information and they are meet
ing with ready assistancef rom de-
Ipartment officials. Some OF the In
formation sent out Is of a very con
fidential character and to protect i
publication of the bulletins Is for
bidden.
| Now a systematic study of the for
etgn commerce of the belligeren
powers to determine just wher'
Openings lie for increasing American
foreign trade has been begun. Ad
.ditional bulletins are being pre-
pared, country by country, showing
for instance, just what articles com
prised Germany's trade with he
present enemies or with neutra
countries now cut off from her mar
kets. Exhaustive investigation o
iAmerican, British, German and 9th
er statistics for preceding years
fbeing made and lengthy comparativ
tables have been issued. The worl
is still going on and as it progresse
manufacturers Of any article will b
liable to see at a glance just what op
lportunities await them in any coun
TRY.
Paralleled almost day to day wit
presentations of the financial situa
ltion in foreign countries. shown
where moratoria exist and their du
ration, what embargoes on exporta
ltion have been declared and to wha
extent war operations have intel
lferred with commerce in any diret
tion, the charts are said to hav
lproved of a most illuminating chal
acter to the American bushes
world. They bring down to specif
details the broad inquiries of th
government.