Evening star., 1915-02-02

The making of commercial history for
the country was begun this afternoon at
the New Willard Hotel with the as
sembly of the National Council Of tho
Chamber Of Commerce of the United
States as the first step in the organiza-
tion of the third annual convention Of
what has been called the greatest busi-
less body in the world.
The principal feature Of the gathering
of the councillors. who act as advisers on
the policies Of the national chamber, was
an address delivered by Harvey S. Chase
of Boston on the necessity for a national
udget. believed to be especially timely
because of the great interest recently in
he general cry of economy in government
expenditures which has gone up all over
the country.
Mr.. Chase exhibited a sample bud
get. covering the current fiscal year
and the coming fiscal year. He said
that such a budget" would present a
picture OF supreme interest to every in
telligent citizen of the country and
one which would be of the greatest i'm
portance in the efficient handling Of
financial problems by Congress"
While the meeting of the councillors.
noon. was in progress other important
meetings were being held by other
working organizations of the national
chamber
headquarters. the board of directors was
putting the final touches on it's annual
report. made public this afternoon, and
elsewhere the special committee on the
maintenance of resale prices was bnsily
engaged in redraftiHg its report, which
was referred back. to the committee
this mornipg'by the board of directors
after the latter had gone over it.
800 Organizations Represented.
More than 500 business organizations
OF the United States, Porto Rico, the
Philippines, Alaska and Hawaii, among
them delegates from every state in the
Union with the exception Of New Mexi-
90. were represented at the gathering
Of the national councillors. The pro-
gram for the general proceedings of
the convention. which President Wilson
IS TO address tomorrow night, was sub
rnitted to the councillors for approval,
and the nominating committee for the
selection of officers for the ensuing
year was named. These preliminaries
out of the way. close attention was
paid by the councillors to Mr.. lChase's
address. it having been pointed out that
very business man in the country is
1tally interested in economy of gov
~rnment expenditures and all plans to
Mr. Chase paid high tribute to the
committees of Congress that go minute
~ INTO details of expenditures and to
ne bookkeeping departments of the
government, declaring that they abun-
jantly check each small item and make
II stand out clearly 1t was with the
kummary, the generalization. that he
Sound fault, pointing out that for the
want of proper outline statements citi-
zens of high Intelligence are in igno-
IN ~ - nt ho dy1sV <xS
1nent.
Congressional Extravaganza.
More attention to order and balance
% appropriations from the national
Treasury was urged by Mr.. Chase In
direct taxation through customs duties
according TO Mr. Chase, led to national
revenues uncertain in amount, bu,
usually in excess of actual needs This
annual surplus has afforded standing
Inducements for congressional extrava.
-ances III ways which have been criti-
sed- Incidentally, the official descrip.
on OF appropriations and revenues has
fu the course of years fallen into sucf
form that il is well nigh impossible to
make all exact, short and intelligibls
statement of the actual purposes fol
u hich the United States spends it's bill.
Hon of dollars year.
The remedy. in Mr.. Chase's opinion
lies in an annual budget message fronr
ihe President to Congress. In such 2
bncssage there would be a careful es.
innate of revenues for the coming wear
with an indication of the total amour,
Nf hich might be expected to be avail
BILE. Against this would be shown tn.
rxed charges. such AS interest on bond,
md expenditures for pensions. Ther,
" ouid be deduction. too, of annual re
juirements for upkeep and matnte
rtance of public property, and of un
syoidable expenditures for the arm,
Etud navy, for the continuance of enpi
peering projects of great importauc.
aud the like. Thus, there would be as
rertained the amount of revenue abou
the disposition of which there might h,
Dissatisfaction example, what propor
Fion should be spent for encourayemen
Of agriculture. what part for PROMOTE,
of commerce and what part should b,
Fpent for the interest of labor
So People May Know.
Al the same time. Mr.. Chase woul,
have all expenditures classified in ,
brief but accurate summary, in orde
hat amy citizen at glance might Sc.
\, hat proportion of the national expsn
hitures goes for each public purpose
such as the national defense by. land
Continued on Second Page.