Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1916-02-10
RAILROADS AND WORKERS
CALLED ON TO ARBITRATE
Referendum to Learn Opinions 'of
Members as to Civil Service Pen.
sions Is Advocated.
FOR INDUSTRIAL PROTECTION
Resolution Adopted Against Dump
ing in This Country of Cheap
Foreign-Made Goods
After War.

With the passing OF importan.
resolutions at the morning ses-
sion. and strong advocacy OF in
creased military preparedness ior
the country at the afternoon ses-
sion. the convention OF the Cham
Der OF Commerce of the United
States will close late today. at the
Pan American Union building.
The final event will be a banquet
tonight at the New Willard Hotel.
at which President Wilson will
speak to the big business men
who have been considering the in
dustrial and commercial problems
OF the nation here for the past lew
davs. Mrs. Wilson and woman
members OF the families of the
cabinet officers will be present.
Arbitration Is Urged.
The most important resolution adopt
ed by the convention vas one calling
upon the railroads of the country and
their employees to settle their differ
ences. which are threatening a nation
wide strike. by means Of arbitration.
The resolution states that such an in
terruption of the traffic operations of
the country as is threatened by the I'M
pending strike would be national
calamity. 1t declares that the strike
would be inimIcal to public welfare.
and that the railroad employers and
employees must" settle their differ
ences.
Other resolutions passed include one
to provide for the appointment OF
special committee on pensions which
shall ascertain by a referendum the
desire Of the business men of the coun-
try as to a civil service retirement
plan for government employees. to give
greater incentive and opportunity to
young employees and obtain efficiency
and dispatch in the conduct Of govern
mental affairs
The convention voiced it's opposition
10 the so-called Dietrich amendment In
a pending appropriation bill, "in SO far
as this amendment seeks to prevent
the study of methods to increase in
uuSIfldl enclenCy pS dQ0le
tional compensation to employees.
For Industrial Protection.
A resolution on the question o:
dumping legislation" was adopted. de-
after the European war will seriously
embarrass American manufacturers.
and requiring that the President of the
United States and Congress be pct
toned to take prompt action to pre-
vent such dumping. Another resolu-
tion. entitled industrial protection.
was passed. requesting Congress 10
make an investigation to ascertain th.
industries which in the national pubic
interest should be developed.
Secretary Garrison and Secretar,'
Daniels both addressed the convention
this afternoon on the subject or m
crea sed military preparedness for the
United States. and a strong report. urg-
ing additional national defense, was
presented to the convention by the
chambers national defense committee
One of the most interesting events
of the day at the convention was the
presentation to John Fl. Fahey, the
retiring president of the organization,
of a magnificent silver service.
The presentation took place i'll the
private office of John Barrett, director
general OF the Pam American Union.
who. in an address today. characterized
the national chamber as the greatest
business body in the world.
Thirteen directors. as follows. were
elected by the convention at the morn
ing session: Edward A. Filene OF Bos-
ton, James r. MacColl of Providence,
r. l.; W. l.. Clause of Pittsburgh, f. W.
Mccormick of New Brunswick. n. j.:
Granger a. Hollister of Rochester. \.
Y: r. A. q. Mccormick Of Baltimore.
Homer l.. Ferguson of Newport News,
Va: Leon Z. Simon of New Orleans.
S. b. Anderson of Memphis. Tenn:
Charles Nagel of st. Louis: William
Butterw of Moline, ILL.,: F. A. Sell
berling of Akron. Ohio. and l.. S. Gil
lette of Minneapolis.
Veto Amendment Favored.
Part of the morning session was
taken up with discussion of a pro-
posed constitutional amendment which
would give the President Of the United
States the power to veto separate
items OF appropriation bills. The argu-
ment in favor of such an amend
ment was presented by William Z.
Breed OF New York ON behalf of the
merchants association of New York
and The following resolution was
adopted:
THAT the chamber of Commerce OF
the Uni.ed States of America recon-.
mends that the Constitution of the
Iiuited States he amended as to
hermit the President to approve or
,iisapprove any specific items pro-
visions conta ined in any appropriation
bill, to the end that he may no longer
he compelled to approve items and
provisions which he deems contrary
TO public opinion his own judg-
ment. in order to secure" the appro-
priations necessary for the conduct OF
departments and the
operation of the governmental func-
tions.
The argument in favor of such An
amendment to the constitution was set
forth briefly by Mr.. Breed as follows:
II does not involve any political or
pa rtisan question.
1t would not alter or change any
constitutional proviSino