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

tndmDer DIV hShlHE pIopV0'iS "
lutions or urges of action What is TO
be Gained bv this >" or "Where will
this lead us?" than probably any other
prominent man who has served on the
directorate. Which leads naturally 10
the conclusion that he has some OF the
qualities of far-s ightednes.; but. as he
saws himself. he was not far-sighted as
60 the possible growth Of the chamber.
He told me:
"The growth Of the Chamber Of Com
mcrcc of the United States Is marvel
Gus. Il really seems almost like dream
TO me. I went into things In the cham
Der In the second year Of it's organiza-
ton with something Of an opinion that
il was impractical to carry out the pig
ideas which John II. Fahey, OF Boston,
and Harry A. Wheeler. of Chicago. who
was the first president had. but they
we're 60 confident that was won over;
and ! came OF the conclusion that II
they could give so much Of their valu-
able time 10 the thing that then seemed
to me like a dream | could do so. too.
but now. in fact, the chamber has
really developed beyond anything
which even Mr.. Wheeler or Mr..
Fahev predicted at that time. None
OF US had as big vision OF II as II has
turned out, and II SENS TO me that the
time is certainly coming when the
7 chamber Will make itself felt IN very
important way In this country.
Chamber Broadcns Members.
THE Chamber OF Comcrce OF the
United States is bigger than any one
mans ambition. There are organiza-
tions In this country which are domln-
ated By one or two big men. they are
the leaders. and they stand head and
shoulder. above others. doing all the
work and directing all the policies. But
nothing like that happens in the ma
tional chamber. All the men are trying
TO be big men. and II Is strange and
curious fact that the work OF the cham
Der has broadened all Of Us and made
US bigger men than we were when we
began TO work for II and the things 1t
stands for.
"An instance IN point came NJ az the
convention which has just closed. Some
OF We felt that certain man, because
| Of large amount OF special knoWiedge
he has. ought 10 serve on the board or
0 directors In the las. couple OF years
there has been very general desire
70 be honored with dictatorship busi-
, ness men al over the country have
sought the honor, nsy say. One man
, from q certain section particularly
wanted that honor this year. We told
him We had decided that tho man with
the special knowledge was the man 70
90 on the hoard, and he came around
the next morning and said:
"'Well. I've been thinking that mat
ter 81 the dictatorship over You tel-
lows are right. He is q better and a
bigger man than ] am. and he can DO
more for the chamber So I'm going
70 withdraw my candidacy, and ] want
you 20 let my friends know what !
savP
Mr.. Rhett used this illustration to
| show the spirit OF self-sacrifce that
governs the men in the chamber. He,
| personally. is fond Of the word scr
vice" and he believes in hat it means
with q gripping belief that is shown
in his eyes and his forcetul gestures
when he talks.
4 banker. a lawyer. with enough Of
this worlds goods and TO spare, so that
he may realize what Is said to be the
= ambition Of every well-born English
man above forty "to be Of some slight
service 10 the state" he sat with me
through the fading dusk at the Pan
American Union Building and waved
his hand toward the view of the Wash
ington Monument and the White House
rs II toward national symbols, and
spoke eloQuently and convincingly OF
his ideals. The new president of the
Chamber Of Commerce OF the United
States does not believe that the cham
Der can be Of service solely in business.
The chamber can be OF service TO
the whole people, Mr. Rhett declared.
The idea is sweeping over this coun-
try like wild-fre that welfare work is
large part Of business ideals. Take
the question Of immigration and the
study that has been made of it by the
chambers committee on that subject
IL can be the business Of the Chamber
Of Commerce of the United States this
coming year 10 see to il that immi-
grants are properly distributed through
out the land and that proper steps are
taken 70 educate them 10 not only speak
the English language but along some
line of occupation"
Mission Is Tro-Fold.
He continued:
My idea of the mission OF the
Chamber of Commerce Of the United
States is that II il two-fold. 1t has
much TO give, but 1t has something 70
receive. One OF its purposes should
be 10 educate the business men OF the
country along broad lines and make
them look up 20 higher ideals.
The very construction OF this organ
ization Is such "a 10 make anything
sordid. sectional or selfish impos sible.
ANY man who goes into the organiza-
tion realizes that Il - nationwide
organization. have never seen man
begin 20 serve on the board OF directors
bat what his vision has Immediately
broadened lie at once begins to give
all he has.
"Onc OF the principal accomplish
ments Of the Chamber Of Commerce is
the teaching 20 business men Of the
country % think along broader lines
and 20 educate them in the things Of
the country which pertain 20 the VIII
fare of the country beyond their imme-
date environment. They now take a
greater interest In the referenda, the
system BY which we put national ques-
tions TO vote Of usiness men all over
the country.
a. first, believe. these referenda
were Of little practical value. They
didn't create interest Frequently they
reflected the view of but few officers
or organizations affiliated with the ma
.ional chamber. They did not touch
the people But as time went on the
rank and file in the organization began
TO take more interest in tho referenda,