Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-01-25
JOHNSON in CHAIR
AT TRADE COUNCIL
Head of Baldwin's Presides
at Convention to Advance
Foreign Commerce
BUSINESS MEN WANTED
Officer of international Corpora
ton Says U. S. Must Strive
to Hold Position

PITTSBURGH, Pa. Jan. 25--AmcrIcan
trade leads the world today because the
United States Is the leading neutral nation
and the most productive. It's future attcr
the war will be contingent upon the ABILITY
OF American business TO develop its nm
mediate opportunities along broauet an"
more generous lines
Tbot was tho ycvnoto sounded before the
National Foreign Trade Council today by
willard Straight. OF New York, vice presl-
dent of the American international corpora
tion. The same note was emphasized 10y
other speakers at the opening session OF
the fourth annual convention OF that buuE
at tho william Penn Hotel today
"This war has demonstrated what some
OF ,us in this country have heretofore
been disposed to ignorc-that international
trade, like domestic trade, Is essehL'tiS "l'
exchange Of commodities Straight Sa"'
I'VE cannot hope that we shall continue
to sell some $4,000 600 more yearly 'hIh
we buy Commercial relationships TO pe
permanent must be mutually advantageous
II we wish to sell our goods apr"'"' W.
must in turn purchase
JOHNSON SUCCEEDS FARRELL
This address came shortly after the cleo
tion of Alba b. Johnson, of Philadelpnla'
presldent of the Baldwin Locomotive Works'
as chairman to succeed James j. tarrelI'
president of the United states Steel Cor
poration
Lewis r, Pierson, chairman Of the irving
National Bank, of New York, and W. W.
Nichols. of tho Allis-Chalmers company,
and former chairman Of the United states
IndrstriaI Commission 20 France, were
other speakers of the day who cmphAsi"eu
the idea of reciprocity in business adVahGeu
by Straight
In n report submitted 70 the convention
the National Foreign Trade Council cans
for the Immediate enactment Of the WehD
oh authorized CO-OpeflllOU
among American exporters. Except ior
certain House amendments, the elimination
of which is urged the council declares the
Webb bill Is necessary to avert uIsaS-
trous condition of european cooper ~. s.,.
VS.. American compelled competition atter
the war.
u. S. AT DISADVANTAGE
+. ..rbe doubt amounting to prohibition,
of the right to cooperate says the re-
mort. 'enables foreign buyers, playing
American producers one against announcer
to obtain American raw materials Cne'per
than American buyers, which win Tue
lower European labor cost gives the Euro
mean merchandise fabricated therefrom an
added advantage in competition with
American goods. Inability 10 cooperate
thus confers upon our competitors a prhc-
tical subsidy
"Co-operation in export selling is impera-
tive to meet the proposed ppst-beIlum CO.
1~perallas ~ tnG,gtr,os but even by Govern
ments with the object Of controlling prices
'Since the countries VIZ. VIZ. ,',,,,,.rcc is
per cent OF AinerIyIn ,Np'' tr,,st I,,ys
conducted nave ItetL ~" ,,,oriron Iavs To- !
the applIe".loi VI t,o.s th,r, to a double |
exporters merely ot sunt oact, tboir romneti
standard ana ua'''' ''"'"
tors
ETrROPE's STAGGERING LOSS
NJ. a,,,,,i.,r ,oss +, pubIIc and private !
lhe r,ro,i,rt,, oxcIusive of shipplnE,
EurOpSi" pSpi' - - cha var is estimated |
sihce s ose e6 ne6 900 rIIn, IN a report on
at So'yoO'yOO,Uuvii ii,.t,,, s,o tbc Ts,iroDoan
Worlu tLauu ~, Cg'.I''.s', .I.s alr,.,rtio,,
war suOH''''eu 10 ''o wa
Much of this destruction Is Sucn that r''ss
rebuilding will be possible the report
stated. Foundations IN many ''StS' 'I'lNS
remained intact. Road repair however tI.e
report states, VIII be found extremely dlHl-
cult.
The report also gives attention to the |
probability that Germany VIII not be able !