New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-02-13


ma. l.. s. A. (retired) GeI
the greatest neutral nation endeavoring
10 uphold the standards Of civilization.
/ the rights Of ncutrals. the Ideals OF
peace. has been one Of development and
adventure for American business. ana
/ to an equal degree for its national
chamber. Commerce, threatened at the
/ beginning of hostilities with near ami,
/ hilation. has through enterprise ana
! daring worked its way TO very general
/ and in many lines extraordinary pros
perity, although still menaced by the
| possibilities that may arise from the
/ unreasoning passion Of belligerents and
/ the enmities engendered by the war. IL
/ has been the part of the Chamber of
| Commerce of the United States TO eX-
ercise foresight, judgment and enter
prise. 10 keep American business fully
| Informed Of commercial conditions. 10
plan against the eXigencies Of the tut
ure, 10 encourage sound and legitimate
adventure in foreign fields, and 20
secure counsel OF the business men "a
represented in commercial organizs-
tons upon the leading commercial
questions before Congress and the Tx
ecutive."
This is what these men stand for
what the Chamber Of Commerce Of the
United States stands for. What. then,
have they done at their convention in
Washington just ended
In addition TO demanding increased
military preparedness for the United
States and universal military training
similar to the Swiss and Australian
systems, they demanded staff of in
dustrial mobilization" as well as the
Council Of National Defence which has
heretofore been proposed by army and
navy officers and others acquainted in
detail with the subject Of national de
fence
The Chamber OF Commerce Of the
United States wants the chemical fac
tories the steel plants, the textile
mills. the railroads and other industrial
agencies modified" and "prepared";
and it seems fair 20 say at this writing
that any bill which comes from the
Senate or House Naval Affairs or Mill
tary committees which does not CON
tain provisions along that line will not
meet the support OF the business men
of the country. That was made evident
at the convention very positively.
II was generally agreed that the sub
ject of adequate national defence had
been very ably handled by the cham
hers committee which presented its re
port az the convention. They had had
the benefit Of the advice Of some re-
tired army and navy officers. but with
the characteristic caution Of business
men they did not go so much into tech
meal details. especially as these details
are a subject Of controversy among
technical army and navy men.
Looking Ahead to Peace.
On the other hand 1T was noticed that
some OF tho other resolutions which
were passed by the convention, after
/ being considered by the board Of drec-
tors and the resolutions committee.
( dealt very particularly with questions
such az what is going TO happen to the
United States after the war in Europe
is ended.
/ The insistencc for tariff commits
sion. Of scientific ability and accom-
/ plshmentS was pronounced, and Presi-
dent Wilson never received greater
ovation in his life than when he de-
livered an address at the banquet az the
/ closing session Of the convention dur
/ ing which he predicted that tariff
commission bill would soon become q
law
Many resolutions which had been Of
fered 10 the convention attempting 10
deal with the subject OF the possible
dumping Of foreign goods which have
been chcaply manufactured on this
I country after the war Is ended were set
aside because il was known that the
President OF the United States intends
TO push the tariff commission plan.
One Of the most striking things
az ms
or beneath the surface. is the fact that
the business men of the country. As
shown at this gathering Of the Cham
Der Of Commerce of the United States,
want the country Enthusiastically pre-
pared" They have listened TO a lot
of talk. they have read lot IN the
rapcrs and magazines about Increased
military preparedness" The real un-
dercurrent at this convention wa. the
necessity for planning ways and means
for the factories. the railroads. the
banks, Of which the men at the con-
vention are the head, 20 be OF service
10 the government IN case of need
talked with a number of these men on
this subject. They predicted TO me
that the question Of industrial pre-
paredness" will come TO be greater
4 than that Of increased military pre-
. HhItQQt~e Utlulf lIt SENATE anu
House Naval and Military Affairs COM
mittees get through with their work.
The New Presidents Beliefs.
Robert G. Rhett. the new president
Of the Chamber of Commerce Of the
/ United States. Is d big, tall, smiling
blue-eyed fighting man The growth
Of the biggest business body in the
world. over which he has now come 20
/ preside. working his way Up in the
ranks from committee chairmanships
/ to the directorate and the chairman
ship Of the executive committee. which
he now rclinquishes. has been one OF
/ the surprises OF his business life.
/ talked with Mr. Rhett in Washing
/ ton yesterday behind closed doors IN
4 one Of the big rooms Of the Pan-Ameri-
can Union Building. where he led ne,
IN order 20 be OF service, "a he phrased
it. TO The New York Tribune b. ana
& lying some of the things the national
/ chamber stands for and some Of the
ideals he believes IL should have.
Mr.. Rhett is what is popularity known
ss a shark" on the bylaws OF the
/ chamber. which tell just what that
body can and cannot do. and he talks
| smusingly Of how he has come to b.
/ known as The Human Why"L"rhe
/ Walking Interrogation Point he
fays his fellow members in the cham
Der describe him.
When il comes 10 throwing monkey
wrenches into machinery" 10 again
Use the language OF tn, dav for q