Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1916-02-13
CHAMBER SUPREME
COURT OF BUSINESS
National Organization Estab-
fishes Fact It Has Become
Trade Arbiter.
PRESIDENT R. G. RHETT
OUTLINES YEARS WORK
immigration Committee Especially
Will Seek the Equitable Dis
tribution of Aliens.
Growth of National Chamber
Shown in Official Figures
BY WINGRovE BATHoN.


If the convention of the Cham5e
of Commerce of the United States
which has just come to IN end N
Washington. has brough. ou. oi.c thing
more than another it is that :his great
organization of the big and little busi
ness men of the country is now the sn-
preme court of business of the United
States.
The time has gone by when busi ness
big or little. is obliged to appeal to
Congress, to the President of the
United States or to the Presidents ad-
ministratove officers-cabinet or bu-
reau chiefs-for what may be called
real assistance of governmental
agencies. On the contrary, these
agencies are now appealing to the ma
tional chamber of commerce for help
in finding out what business wants
They want such assistance and in
formation themselves. On the other
hand. the business men of the country
now all fight out their battles SO far
as they can in an organization brought
together only few years ago, when
twenty-five subsidiary organisations,
May 81. 1912, said they would get to-
gether"
Railroads Face a Strike.
Here is an instance in point, a hap
pening at the convention of the ma
tional chamber just ended:
The railroads of the country, it is yer,
generally believed. because of the fac,
that the railroad employees have beer
taking vote on the subject. and some
straws have been exhibited to show
which way the wind is blowing, are fac.
ing a strike. All the railroads are to
be tied up. If the strike comes, com.
merce and industry in the United States
will be paralyzed. The country won't be
talking any more about the necessity OF
Il merchant marine to ship the goods to
Europe or Latin America. The question
Of shipping munitions of war to Europea n
belligerents will become a dead issue
The United States will be interested
chiefly in getting some -four from Mime
sofa. some gloves from New York. some
boots and shoes from Massachusetts
some cotton from Alabama Texas. etc
some sugar ingredients from the cane
and beet countries and some cattle from
the middle west, or. at least small
sirloin steak to put on the "a bie a,
home, II such a strike comes
Results of the Appeal.
The railroads of the country drafted
an appeal to the convention of the
Chamber of Commerce of the United
States. They got thousands of peopIe r.
become interested in sending telepram ms
TO the convention. urging the chanber
to take action to prevent the strike. The
resolutions committee did not like tbe
way it was done. The committee in
fact. as well as the board Of directors
resented it. They made up their minds
that they could not go on record as in
favor of either the railroads side of the
quarrel, or that of the employees Re.
sentful Of the campaign of telegrapbin.
and propaganda, 1t was decided nv the
committee and the board to bring in :
word must" in allusion to the fact
that the railroad employers and en-.
ployes should settle their differences hy
arbitration. which contained more reaI
evidence of power. when 1t is considered
that the business men of the country
are those who pay the freight. than 3
thousand other words could Indicate
1t is events such as this, partfcipa tior
in the biggest questions CONCERNING tht
world, which show how the national
chamber of commerce has grown. anC
the high place In which it now stands in
VnE
Outlines Chambers Ideals.
Robert G. Rhctt. the new president q,
the Chamber of Commerce of the IJpiteo
States. is a big tall. smiling. blue-eyed
fighting man. The growth of the bieges,
business body in the world over which
he has now come to preside, working hi,
way up in the ranks from committe.
chairmanships to the directorate and the
chairmanship of the executive commit
tee, which he now relinquishes has beer
one of the surprises of his business life
Mr.. Rhett talked yesterday with q Sta,
reporter behind closed doors In one OF
the big rooms OF the PAN American
Union building. in analyzing some of thu
things the national chamber stands fol
and some of the ideals he believes Il
should have.
Mr. Rhett is what is popularity knowr
as shark on the bylaws of tn,
chamber. which tell just what that bod,
can and cannot do. and he talks anus
ingly Of how he has come to be know
as THE Human whyy'-"The Watkins
Interrogation Point as he says his feI.
low members In the chamber describ,
him. When IL comes to throwing monke,
wrepches into mac achinery." to again us,
the language OF the day for q moment
Mr. Rhett has earned more endurin.
fame In the councils OF the chamber b,
asking proposers OF resolutions o
urgers of action What II to he ga
by this?' or Where VIII this lead us p
than probably any other prominent maj
Nho has served on the directorate .
Nhich leads naturally TO the eonciusio,
that he has some Of the qualities Of for