The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1915-06-09
Tho Personnel or the Pan-Americar
Financial Congress.

Financial Congress.
The idea OF n financial conference
occurred to Secretary McAdoo when
shipping bill was first considered by
congress In fall OF 1914. Investiga-
ton OF transportation necessities ior
South America showed him that a sys-
tenn of finance was also one of the
needs IL our commerce with the
southern countries was to be estab-
hshed and maintained upon a firm ba-
sisL When he suggested a Pan-Amer-
lean Financial Conference IL met the
hearty approval OF President Wilson
and the governments OF Latin Ameri-
ca. Congress appropriated $50. 900
Tor the entertainment OF the delegates
and expenses OF the conference. In
vtations were sent to all the govern
ments and eighteen OF the twenty re-
sponded and were represented in the
conference. Each country was re-
auested to send three delegates, and
In naming these representatives the
various countries selected the foremost
financial and business men OF their re-
spective nations. In addition each
country was represented in the con-
ference by It's ambassador or minister
to the United States.
Secretary McAdoo appointed 110
business men In all walks OF life and
from every section OF the country as
delegates on the part OF the United
States. and In addition the members
of the presidents cabinet, the coun-
selor and assistant secretaries OF
State. the comptroller of currency and
other members of the Federal Reserve
Board. the assistant secretaries Of the
TREASURY. the federal trade commits
sion. the federal reserve agents. the
governors OF federal reserve banks. the
members OF the federal advisory coun-
ell. and the director-general of the
Pan-American Union.
IL was not expected that I'm four or
i've days these delegates from Latin
America and the United States could
considor all the questions presented.
solve them and outline n definite plan
OF procedure. The conference did
show. however. n desire and determi-
nation TO bring about closer CONNER
cial relations and the establishment of
facilities which will make such a re-
suit possible. The interest the dele
gates showed. and the earnestness of
their purpose. promise success for the
general object OF the conference.
The visit OF the Latin American DEL
egates to different cities In the eastern
part OF the United States gave them
an opportunity to see a portion of the
country. the character and size of
our cities. large manufacturing
plants. and. what was more important,
they could learn from personal con-
tact and conversation that our people
have a real interest In our neighbors
on this continent.
As the European war. interrupting
commerce and finance. made n move
ment such as the financial conference
necessary. so that same war has
drawn the peoples of all America into
closer relations. made them feel a
dependency upon each other In COM
mercial and international relation
ships. That spirit was manifest from
the time the conference was proposed.
and .. was further apparent in the
speeches OF welcome and response. az
well as In the more prosaic business
features OF the meeting. 1t Is evi-
dent that Pan-Americanism has taken
on a more comprehensive and import
ant meaning and will have far-reach-
ing effect upon the American conti-
nent-From "Pan-American Financial
Conference" by Arthur Wallace Dunn,
I'm the American Review OF Reviews
for June.