The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-04-26
SOUTH AMERICANS LOOKING ID UNITED STATESFOR MONEY Pan American Financial Congress to be Held at
 Washington May "A DEVELOPMENT OF
 TRADE RELATIONS This Will be One of Chief Matters to Come up for Discussion-Rep-
 resentatives From South
 to be Business Men
 
By HOLLAND

New York, April 25.-(Special.)- Jon Mon- day, May "A. month hence, the Pan- American financial conference will be or ganized at Washington and presumably will be in session week or 10 days. It is to be distinguished from all other con ferences in which representatives of Amer ican nations have taken part by the fact that men of finance will be chiefly asso- ciated with it, although there may be also some who are distinguished for achievements in the business world. From Washington today came informal intima- ton that the representatives of the South American and Central American nations have been all the more ready to partici- pate in the conference at this time be- cause many reports have reached the South American republics all of which speak of the marvellous ability which was displayed. by the new generation of Amer ican bankers in the handling of the orig inal and very difficult problems which the outbreak last August of the war in Europe created. Men of finance in the South American nations have learned in some detail the story of those achieve ments of the American bankers. They have compared their own chaotic situa- tion of last summer with the like condi- tion which prevailed in the United States for some weeks after the war began in Europe, and they realize that while nor nal conditions have not been fully re- stored in the South American nations, nevertheless, so far as finance and bank ing and general money conditions of the United States are concerned, there is now every reason for absolute confidence in this country.
 Just what the personnel of the repre- eentatives of the financiers of the United States who will take part in this con ference will be is not yet known, prob ably has not yet been decided. But the understanding is that the bankers and men of finance who as whole represent all of the South American nations, with two or three exceptions. will be very glad if they are able to meet in the confer ence and also informally the Americans who by common consent were the leaders in the movement begun late in autumn last year by which order was brought out of chaos. They will have good oppor- tunIty to meet the members of the fed cral reserve board, at least informally. and the chances are that two at least of that board will take part in the confer ence. It is the presumption that the American financiers and bankers will as a whole represent the entire United States.
 What the Programme Is
 While completed arrangements for the conference and the selection of topics for discussion have not yet been perfected. nevertheless the belief here is that chief among the subjects which the conference will consider is one which may formulate policy which will lead to the best use of the great facilities offered by the Pan- anna canal for commerce between the United States and the western part of South America. Another subject which will be discussed may lead ultimately to the creation of a satisfactory merchant marine. The South American financiers have lSns been persuaded that one of the chief means for the development of the treat trade opportunities which South America and the United States each of fers to the other would be a merchant marine. One of the obstacles in the way of developing thoroughly equipped and adequate steamship service between the United States and South America has been the lack of sufficient cargpes for steam ships going to South American ports.