Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1916-02-13

receive. One Of its purposes should
De 70 educate the business men Of the
country along broad lines and make
them look up to higher ideals.
The very construction of this or
ganization is such as to make anything
sordid. sectional or selfish impossible.
Any man who goes into the organiza-
ton realizes that it is a nationwide
man begin to serve on the board of
directors but what his vision has i'm
mediately broadened. He at once be-
gins to give all he has
One of the principal accomplish
ments OF the Chamber Of Commerce of
the United States is the teaching to
business men of the country to think
along along broader lines and to educate
which pertain to the welfare of the
country beyond their immediate en-
vironment. They now take greater
interest in the referenda, the system
vote Of business men all over the
country. At first, I believe. these ref
BRENDA were of little practical value.
They didn't create interest. Frequently
officers or organizations affiliated with
the national chamber. They did not
touch the people. But as time went
on the rank and file in the organization
rrferenda. special committees who be-
came expert took charge of them, to
study the subjects and report back, so
that when the referenda went out they
a given subject in the way of COM
piled information. So that now by
means Of these referenda the country
Is really being educated on the great
questions of the day by the Chamber
OF Commerce of the United States
Receiving Real Thought of Country.
Then, too. on the other hand, by
means of these referenda, those who
are making our laws here in Washing
ton and administering them are re-
ceiving the real thought of the coun-
try. and from all parts of it, be-
lieve, too. that they welcome it. and
I think this fact shows that this or
ganization is to constitute a tremen-
dous factor in the welfare of the ma
ton. We have never felt we were
organized for the purpose of consid-
ering matters Of business in the mar
are done occurred in the present con-
.vention. Rival manufacturing organi-
cations brought fight into the reso-
lutions committee. one side trying to
way that would favor their proposals,
the other trying to prevent the cham
Der from SO recording itself. The re-
suit was that they were told that their
fight was trade fight. in which it is
not the province of the Chamber of
Commerce of the United States to en-
gage
At this point phrase was coined
by The Stars reporter to express a
view OF what the national chamber
organization might now be suitably
characterized as 1.-The supreme court of
business of the United States" Mr..
Rhett seized upon it and repeated it:
the United states!" he exclaimed.
That's exactly what 1t is. The cham
Der must necessarily concern itself
with the pressing, big questions Of
business OF the day. The biggest things
ne within its province. and disputes
between rival organizations in the
same or rival fields cannot be brought
before its bar"
Forecasts Chambers Activities.
Asked to forecast some of the activi
ties of the chamber for the coming
year, Mr.. Rhett said:
THE newly elected board of directors
will sift out of the numerous questions
affecting business those which are Of
the greatest Importance and which re-
quire prompt attention. We must al
ways do the pressing thing. So it is
hardly possible to predict what the ac-
Invites OF the organization will be.
Wherever business needs our help there
will we be. The question of adequate
national defense has been ordered to a
referendum. We will help to decide
that. Then there is the question of the
maintenance of resale prices to be set
tied. and the possibility of an amend
ment to the Constitution of the United
States giving the President the power
to veto paragraphs in appropriation
bills which he might deem unwise
legislation without requiring him to
veto the whole bill
The referendum on whether or not
the La Foliette Seamen'S act. so called.
should be repealed or modified is also
out Tor vote among the business men
OF the country, and the question of
what should be done about the newly
introduced ship purchase bill in Con-
gress has been referred to the board of
directors with the request that its pro-
visions be described and a referendum
on that sent out if the board deems it
advisable.
The convention Of the chamber. too.
has referred to the new board Of dire
tors the dispute which has arisen be-
tween the railroads and their employees,
which threatens to tie up all the rail-
roads IN the country in a strike, with
instructions to appoint a committee to
make an investigation of the facts and
endeavor to find a solution and gain a
settlement of the fight by arbit ration.
All of these matters will have to have
the Immediate attention of tn board. To
mention them gives a birds view
of the subjects that will be of concern
to the business world for the coming
year"