New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-02-06
Secretary Asks Business
Men to Stamp Out All
CrOOkedneSS.
POINTS TO EFFECT
ON FOREIGN TRADE
Declares Attitude of Merchants
More important than That
of Government.
From The Tribun, Bureau J

Washington, Feb. .. In his address
81 last nights dinner of the Chamber
Of Commerce Of the United States
william {. Redfeld. Secretary Of Com
merce, spoke OF the attitude OF bust
ness men toward crooked business
methods, and declared this was mat
ter Of more importance than the att
tude of the government toward busl-
ness.
I'm the Bureau Of Standards to-
day." said Secretary Redtield, 81 saw
a large sample Of wool waste which
was sold 10 the Panama Canal. u was,
as a matter of course. submitted 10 us
for a technical inquiry. II proves
10 be half wool. and the other half
partly hemp, partly jute and partly
other things.
"What does this body think Of that
sort of thing? If they think II is not
found out then are they greatly ana
grossly deceived. We have the means
of knowing whether goods are up 10
the standard. and no purchases pass
untested Let it be understood that
the day when Uncle Sam can be fooled
on such matters has gone.
Urges DisapprOval.
"You have in your bar associations
grievance committees, who deal with
matters o. unprofessional conduct.
There exists in the army and navy a
standard Of conduct 'unbecomlnG an OF,
fcer and gentleman When Will
some body Of American business men
put the stamp Of discrcdit upon that
sort Of procedure?
"Nay. that Is not all. Whittier are
VIC tending? | heard to-day from
representative business man OF an or
der filled by American factories to one
of the bclligcrent nations IN Contra
Europe for goods which when they
were nut in use Immediately dlsap
peared because the quality was lntol'
crablv bad. | heard to-day from an
other responsible business source or ar
order from another foreign nation con
corning which instructions were glvei
10 work into il all the old. off-color, on
quality material available in the FAC
.ory. When a man makes money oJ
! that process 20 the dishonor OF Amer
( lea will an organization Ike TINS toi
/ crate it,
"Wp have before US now samples o.
/ rope alleged 10 be manila hemp bu'
which are 20 per cent or more African
: sissl They look alike. Il is extremely
difficult to tell them mechanically, bu
f I warn YOU that chemical test IS be
| ing made. Shall the honor OF Amer
can commerce be blackened and shamcC
and disgraced by that sort OF fraud
/ / hone the attitude of business TOWARD
business will he one Of eXacting honor
Crooked Manfests.
"And one thing more on this SAM
theme: What will you do, PRACTICAL.
do. 10 stop crooked manifests, incom
ple.e manifests, things concealed
things painted 10 resemble othe
things? Why must it be necessary Z
have one crook throw shadow upol
all American commerce? One MAJ
emitting from his manifest the thing
he does not desire 20 be seen may d.
infinite harm TO a hundred honoraol
gentlemen in American commerce.
81 hone this body, and every bod
representative OF the honor OF Amer
lea. will say these things ought not $
to be. and will condemn them, not b
silence. but by speech and action.
1--WE are ready 10 help. We are send
ing men now into all the continents {
hunt for American business. but if mel
at home are tolerated in business cir
cles because successfully they do thes
things which injure all OF US, then gu
work must largely be in vain.
"The attitude Of business tOwar
business is more essential to America
commerce to-day than the attitude o
the government toward business, whic
is clear and straigh tfcrward."