Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-03-17
Directors of Chamber Of Com
merce of United States
Optimistic Of Future.
PRESIDENT FAHEY SEES
IMPROVED CONDITIONS
Makes Statement in Which He Says
Factories Here Are Now Sup
plying Natural Demand.


States is picking up and is going tc
get better rapidly. This is the opti-
mistic news brought to Washington
today by the directors Of the Chamber
of Commerce Of the United States. who
have gathered at the national head
quarters of the organization in the
Riggs building for their annual spring
meeting. The sessions of the board
will last throughout today and to-
morrow.
The optimistic analysis of the i'm
provement in business conditions
throughout the country. noted in re-
ports to the Chamber OF Commerce OF
the United States. was made today by
John H. Fahey OF Boston. president OF
the national chamber. In a statement
Mr.. Fahey said:
The resumption of business activity
and Improvement Of conditions, which
ourselves after the outbreak of the
war, is continuing steaSily, according
to all the evidence that comes to my
attention. and the movement should
pressions which come to me Is that in
almost every direction things are now
mending rapidly. AS result of the
war it is inevitable that there will be
marked slowness in some lines. but more.
men are being put to work every week,
and the industrial output is increas-
ing.
Factories Respond to Demand.
'The products Of our factories are
now moving In an orderly way in re-
Spouse to the natural demand on the
part Of our people for the things they
most want. The prosperity of our in
dustrial sections is, of course, almost
wholly dependent upon domestic de-
mand. and that demand begins with the
people of the mining and agricultural
districts as they get money in hand
While the purchasing power of the
south has been seriously disturbed by
the war. the west is now in possession
OF great store Of money as the result
OF record-breaking crops at record
breaking prices.
Our factories are now being called
upon to supply the needs of this great
factor In our population. In addition,
the people employed in those industries
selling war supplies now have funds
In hand and the volume Is increasing
every day. These thousands of people
are in turn coming into line in their
demand upon our factories. AS they ex-
ercise their buying power after what
has happened they naturally practice
some caution and economy, and they
buy the things they need and want
most.
Just now, of course, business IL be-
ginning to be further Influenced by the
movement of goods in response to sea-
sonable demand just as In other years.
The evidence is clear that in every di-
rection stocks in the hands of retailers
and manufacturers have been low and
are being kept low, and that there Is
q strong tendency toward economy on
the part of the people of all classes 10
banks and the general expression Of
sentiment in all sections.
Influenced by Conflict.
Tt Is to be expected that the situa-
ton will have It's ups and downs all
through the war, for 1T will be In
fiuenced by the developments of the
conflict as has always been the case
during great wars. The day-to-day
changes Of minor Importance are hav-
ing less effect than at the beginning
of the trouble, however, for business
men and people geneGally realize that
the things they readsof daily are but
incidents In this great struggle, and
genuity adjusting their affairs to meet
changing conditions. While general OPP
timism is increasing. at the same time
business is going forward with a good
deal OF caution.
Among the directors who are present
at the meeting of the national chamber
are: A. B. Farquhar, York. Pa: Robert
F. Maddox. Atlanta, Ga: R G. Rhett,
Charleston. S. C.; Elliott H Goodwin
Washington. D. c.: Frederic f Boothby
Portland. Me-: l.. c. Boyd, Indianapolis
Ind. Franklin Conklin. Newark, N. ]. !;
William Harris Douglas, New York city !;
Alfred L. Esberg. San Francisco. Cal !:
Homer L. Ferguson. Newport News, Va !;
James R. MacColl, Providence, R L !;
Willoughby M Mccormick. Baltimore.
Md. Frank A Seiberling, Akron. Ohio !;
William H. Stevenson, Pittsburgh. Pa.
and T. l. L. Temple. Texarkana, Tex.
The directors are arranging a pro-
gram for the participation of the ma
tional chamber In national affairs for
next year. Various resolutions adopt
ed by the convention of the chamber
recently held in Washington are un-
der consideration. chief among them
being one favoring a budget system
for the United States government,
Others have to do with q tariff COM
mission and proposed federal trade
committee.