Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1916-02-08
FOREIGN TRADE
CONVENTION HELD
AT NEW ORLEANS
Commercial Preparedness and
Export Cooperation the
Dominant Note
/ OVER 500 DELEGATES
E. D. Hilleary and r. w.
Moorehead, of This City,
Local Representatives
OVER 800 DELEGATES
JOHN CLAY

Greater Prosperity Through Great
er Foreign Trade."-That was the slo-
gan which prompted the recent great
assemblage at New Orleans, Louisiana,
on January %, 2S and 29 of the dele
gates to the Third National Foreign
Trade Convention.
E. D Hilleary, representing the Har-
risburg Chamber of Commerce and the
Philadelphia and Reading Railway,
and r. w. Moorhead, general mana
ger of the Moorehead Knitting Com
pany, were the two Harrisburg men
who attended the convention. Both
were strongly impressed with the inn
mense importance of the series of
meetings, especially to the small ex-
porter, who was given the opportunity
of coming in contact with the big
minds and representatives of big or
CARNATIONS and of getting an insight
such as he never had before into the
ramifiations of export trade and the
ins and outs of international COM
merce.
On the Foreign Trade Special
WHICH ran lTOIll new i OFk TO new
Orleans and return, taking little over
two days for the trip each way, were
some $50 men from the east and north,
representing about one-third of the
entire aggregation which was present
for the convention. 1t was a splendid
opportunity for the exchange of ideas
preliminary to the discussions which
took place at New Orleans, and for a
rehashing of the principles involved,
during the return trip. On the train
were men representing the foreign
connections of this country's banking
and commercial interests in every
conceivable product; the representa-
tives of many chambers of commerce,
newspaper men, editors, railroad men,
etc.
The dominant note in the addresses
and discussions was the inevitable
condition of trade after the war, the
certain invasion of our domestic mar
kets by foreign competition, rehabili-
tation of foreign trade, and the cap
ture of our foreign markets, unless
we prepare now to meet that condi-
tion by export cooperation and COM
mercial preparedness.
The rehabilitation of the American
merchant marine, the utilization of the
tariff to encourage foreign trade and
protect it from discrimination, and
ways ana means Tor the smaller
manufacturers and merchants to en-
gage in and share the benefits of for
eign trade, were all matters that were
taken up and given careful considera-
tion.
Arguments for investment in South
and Central America were put for
ward, the relation OF the tariff to
world trade conditions after the war,
as well as credits and the banking
act, were discussed and given promi-
nence in the addresses of such men
as A. ]. Findley, editor of The Iron
Age; James A. Farrell, president OF
the United States Steel Corporation
Alba B. Johnson, president of the
Baldwin Locomotive Works, of Phil
adelphia: Professor Henry c Emery
former chairman of the United States
tariff board under Taft, and Frank A.
Vanderlip, president of the National
City Bank of New York City. Sessions
were held in the Hotel GruneWald,
New Orleans, for three consecutive
days, and A. B. Johnson was elected
chairman of the National Foreign
Trade Council for the ensuing year.
On the last day of the convention
! the entire aggregation Of over 500
men were the guests of the city of
New Orleans and were taken on a
steamer through the harbor and
shown all the docks and waterfront
facilities which extend over forty-one
miles in length, and are owned and
operated by the State of Louisiana.