Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1916-02-11

President Wilson last night aroused
the enthusiastic approval of the bust
ness men of the country when he pre-
dicted that there will soon be in opera
ton a real, scientific tariff board"
during an address he delivered at
banquet of the Chamber of Commerce
Of the United States, at the New Will
lard Hotel, which was the closing
formality of the annual convention Of
the chamber in progress here for the
last three days. -
The President was freely applauded
when he spoke Of other business needs
of the country, as he sees them. among
these "a real merchant marine" but
the outburst that came when he spoke
of the necessity for tariff board was
tumultuous, and coming as it did from
business men of all types and in all
lines of industry, commerce and
finance. who are business men first and
republicans or democrats afterward,
there could be no doubt that the bust
ness interests of the country are be-
hind the President in what he wants to
do in regard to the proposed tariff
board.
Banquet a Great Spectacle.
The banquet was great spectacle,
one of the most striking of such occa-
sions Washington has ever witnessed.
Eight hundred persons were seated at
the tables. taking up the full capacity
of the big ballroom at the New Will
lard Hotel, and hundreds and hundreds
of other persons, delegates and MEM
bers of their families who have been
attending the convention. who could
not obtain seats because of the limited
the galleries, the aisles in compact
masses to hear the President speak,
Mrs. Wilson had table in the center
of the room. seated with her being a
number of women of the cabinet. and
some of the more prominent men at
tending the convention and their wives.
There was such a demand for oppor-
tunity to attend the banquet that Of
ficiaIs of the Chamber of Commerce of
the United States. who are stationed
at the Washington headquarters of the
organization. voluntarily absented
themselves from the banquet. SO that
there might be more seats for those
who had come from the Pacific coast or
president Of the Chamber of Commerce
of the United States. presided. Presi-
dent Wilson's remarks constituted the
chief feature of the evening. although
Vice President kingsbury of the Amer
lean Telephone and Telegraph Com
pany explained the workings of the
transcontinental telephone system, and
there were individual telephone receiv-
ers for each person at the banquet ia
bles and they heard Gov. Moorehead Of
Nebraska and Gov. johnson of Califor-
mia greet the members of the chamber
on the long distance telephone.
Holding Trouble at Arms Length.
The President said that had it not
been for the effectiveness of the federal
reserve law as business preparedness
commercial disaster would have over
whelmed Ahe United States with the
present war. OF the prospect for keep
ing the country at peace, he said that
while no immediate international crisis
faced the nation I'VE are merely hold
ing trouble at arms length"
II am not afraid" he said, "of the
slow verdict of history with regard to
the neutrality of the United States. and
believe we are justified in exercising
every degree Of patience in making
clear what our position is and how sin
cerely we are determined not to allow
this quarrel to become ours in any
part But we are merely holding this
trouble at arm length and trying to
keep our Judgment cool. All the rest
Of the world is hot and it may be that
the flames will extend to US
The President assailed the hardness
of American business men in the past
to broaden their commercial vision be-
yond the boundaries OF this country
The war, he said, had thrust America
into the economic leadership Of the
world" despite this. There were many
instrumentalities. however, which Am
erica needed sorely. he said. One of
them related to the tariff.
Scientific Tariff Board Needed.
1--WE ought to have real scientific
| tariff board. and I think we are going
to have it," he said. He reiterated his
declaration that he had changed his
mind about the need of this because
world affairs had wholly altered during
the past fifteen months. His greatest
| difficulty. he thought, would be in OBJ
tanning men for the board who were
both capable and non partisan. He
knew of only one eligible.