Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-04-26
INDIANS IN AUTOS
GREET DELEGATES
Lend Picturesqueness to
Parade Welcoming Southern
Commercial Congress.

Commercial Congress.
MtSkOGEE. Okla. April 26-Mount-
ed cowboys and Indians driving motor
cars lent picturesque touches to pa
! rade welcoming delegates to the sixth
annual convention of the Southern
Commercial Congress, which began a
fve-day session here today
In his opening address Senator Dun
can L. Fletcher of Florida president of
the congress. asserted that the conven-
tion marks the esteem (which the older
states of the southland hold for their
| Youngest sister. Oklahoma"
Delegates from every state and i'm
portant city in the south and from
numbers of northern and western
states were In attendance today.
Senator Fletcher's Talk.
Senator Fletcher directed attention to
the fact that this was the first meeting
OF the congress across the Mississin-
pl, the previous conventions having
neeh a, washington ttWice), Atlanta
Nashville and Mobile.
IN these days of rapidly moving
events, quick changing circumstances
when new conditions are arising. big
| things are happening.'' said the sena
w. II 10 wen 10 meet IN TINS state
70 consider new questions, discuss with
the people new problems, which must
be solved.
we must take our eyes off the pas
and turn them to the future, While
We are the heirs of the ages which have
gone before, and while the experience.
the wisdom. the sacrifices the toll. the
courage and enterprise of the pa ST have
brought us to the present we cannot
subslst on what has gone before. but.
utilizing it in creative effort in the
present. we must likewise realize our
responsibilities in respect to that ap-
preaching future"
Speaking of the European war. he
said:
This unparalleled upheaval and
world wide conf1agration directly in
NolvinR four continents, must inevita-
bly, mean serious and injurious conse-
ouences to US All nations are more or
less interdependent. No country can
long prosper isolated and alone Com
munication promotes and advances
civilization. The ideal relationship is
international cooperation. Our solemn
duty. while sympathizine with the dts
tressed, is to bear with patience the
misfortune which cannot he avoided,
and cling to hope for peace"
Objects to Be Discussed.
Plans for promoting the varied inter-
ests of the south, agriculture. market
ing. immigration foreign trade. mu-
nicipal efficiency. rural credits and the
effect Of the European war upon the
commerce of the United States. espe-
cia1ly the south, are among subjects to
be discussed
The Southern Commercial Congress is
a confederation of local southern COM
mercial bodies and individual business
institutions interested in southern prog
ress. designed to act as a central body
doing for the south what a local cham
ber of commerce does for its COM
| munity-
Speaks for National Administratio
Assistant Secretary Erooman OF the
Department of Agriculture spoke for
the national administration at the
opening of the Southern Commercial
Congress here today. President Will
son and Secretary Houston were un-
a BILE to attend. Mr.. Vrooman said, in
part
Now. as In the past. We find several
distinct types of business organization
that founded upon privilege, that
founded upon unrestricted competition,
that founded upon regulated competi-
tion and that EN- mbodying the spirit and
method of cooperation.
The paramount issue before the
American people today is not the tar
If nor corporation control. nor any of
those other political or economic prob
lens which newspapers and politicians
discuss SO glibly. The real issue IS
not political, nor even economic. The
paramount issue is the psychological
issue of personal, fundamental honesty
Is the individual citizen willing to pro-
duce all the wealth he requires. and to
work and vote to render it impossi BILE
henceforth for any one, by any fnan-
cial hocus-pocus. to acquire wealth
that others have producedo That's the
issue.
Twilight Zone" in Business.
Along that line Will be fought the
battle for the control OF that twilight
zone in business where dog eat dog Is
still too often the rule. When CO.
herent and masterful ma jority of our
people gets the full significance Of
this issue and insists that he who pro-
duces more than he acquires is a pub
lie benefactor, but that he who ac-
quires more than he produces is a So
cfal parasite, then means will be found
of ridding our civilization Of the pred
atory business type and of giving each
! individual the full product of his toll
of Drawn or brain. 1t is to this end
that all the benef1cent social forces
of our day are trending.
Regulated competition is unques-
tionably better than irresponsible and
| uncontrolled competition. Moreover,
by the slow, sure means of expert
ence federal and state control of busf-
ness is becoming at once more elastic
| and more effective. But no perfecting
! of the mechanism of such control can
ever overcome the inherent limitations
! of this method of promoting social and
economic justice.
| las President Wilson has indicated.
| the time is ripe for cooperation that
! is not exclusive or oppressive. but
| rather inclusive and benefcent, found
Il he I'll tn1o nf
and dispensing its profits among ali
who participate in it's activities accord
| ing to the measure of their participa-
] ton"