Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1916-02-03
Will DISCUSS
COMMERCIAL
PREPAREDNESS
(Dy United Press Association.)

NEW ORLEANS, Jan. 27-"Com-
mercial preparedness of the United
States to take advantage Of foreign
trade opportunities offered by thewar"
is the keynote of the 3rd annual For
eign Trade Convention which met
here to-day at the invitation of the
New Orleans chamber of Commerce.
Officials of practically every manufac-
turing company of Importance in the
country arrived here this morning on
the Foreign Trade Special of nine
Pullmans, from New York and the
north. Others will arrive to-day. Rep
resentatives of boards of trade, cham
bers of commerce and every other
sort of commercial and industrial or
CARNATIONS interested or engaged in
overseas commerce, are here The
meeting is under the active leadership
of Chairman James A. Farrell of the
Trade body.
To-day's principal speaker is Ed
ward J. Berwind of New York, who
said in part, concerning investment
opportunities in Latin America.
"The change in the financial rela-
tons of the United States with the
European nations that has taken place
within the last year should be conduc-
tive to foreign investments. 1t is now
possible for us to acquire on advan-
tageous terms the ownership or con-
troll of railroads or public utilities and
Industrial enterprises which hither to
have looked to England and to the
continent for their financial support.
investments can thus be secured which
will give not only profitable employ
ment to American capital, but will in
turn powerfully stimulate interest in
the products of our industries. The
way has been cleared for the progress
i've development of our trade with Lat
IN America upon sounder and more
secure basis than ever before. The
need for better machinery for the fin
anclng Of foreign investment promises
to be met in an efficient and satisfac-
tory manner. There is probably more
capital available for foreign invest
ment at the present time in the United
States than ever before and there is
ample opportunity for the use of mon
ey in Latin-America."
The objects of the meeting, briefly,
are: action looking toward the rehabi-
tation of the American Merchant Mar
inc, utilization of the tariff to en-
courage and protect American foreign
trade from discrimination, the adap-
ton of commercial education to fore
ign trade needs and ways and means
for the smaller manufacturers and
merchants to engage in and profit by
foreign trade. These questions will be
considered from the standpoint of the
chief elements Of foreign trade: nat
ural products and agriculture, manu-
featuring, merchandising, transporta-
C1Ou anu he conference VIII
close with a big banquet Friday even
ing. Speakers to-day will be- Baldwin
Locomotive Company president Alba
B. Johnson, Financier James A. Far
rell, Brazil Railway Company presi-
dent Percival Farquhar Croker Ma
tional Bank Representative John Clau
sen of San Francisco, American Inter
national Corporation Vice president
Willard Straight, Professor Henry C..
Emery, Henry Howard of Boston, J. J.
Culbertson of Texas, w. D. Simmons
of st. Louis, Commerce Department
Bureau Chief DR.. E E Pratt, J. Rogers
Flanery Of Pittsburgh and Charles L.
Chandler of Chattanooga, Tennessee.
Mrs Holm Harry Cavontb cfroo+ NJ