The Washington times., 1917-02-02
COMMERCE BODY
TO HAVE BUILDING
U. S. Chamber Authorizes En-
dowment. Fund for Home
in Capital.
DETAILED PLANS NOT MADE
Secretary RedfieId Urges
Adoption Of Metric System
of Measurements.
DETAILED PLANS NOT MADE

The creation OF an endowment
fund for purchase of home in Wash
ington for the National Chamber Of
Commerce was unanimously adopted
as an amendment to the bylaws OF
that body meeting in convention at
the New willard.
The amendment provides for crea-
tion of IAN adequate annual revenue
for the operation OF the Chamber and
to create a fund to be known as ''The
Endowment Fund to be Invested and
re-invested from time to time at. the
discretion of the board. which at any
for acquisition OF q home for the
Chamber
Plans Not Made.
Definite plans for the home. its To-
cation, size and style Of the struc-
ture have not been decided. 1t Is ex-
pected determination will be made by
committee.
Pointing to the campaign among
school children Of Washington who
have saved come $50 tons of old news
papers since the beginning Of the fall
term as an example which should be
followed by the whole country in the
new era of economy of hitherto vast
ed resources. and urging American
industry to change its ways in time
for the great changes which viii fol-
low close of the war. Secretary Of
Commerce Redneld spoke before the
chamber this afternoon.
1--WE see now, with the wars close"
he said, there win come demands for
lumber, for cotton, for agricultural
machinery. for nnished forms OF iron
and steel OF many kinds. We see
that we must be called upon both
for funds and goods for rehabilitat-
ing a devastated Europe. We no
longer reckon vast economic loss as
implying superior economic power.
Our part in the coming days OF peace
is to be one Of initiative, Of active
reconstruction, not one of more or
less feeble resistance to foes strange
ly grown powerful through terrible
disaster"
He pointed out some OF the weak
nesses Of the present system OF
American industry. among which was
the waste OF resources which Ge--
many has used in building up some
Of her greatest industries.
Urges Metric System.
Secretary Redheld urged adoption
Of the metric system OF weights in the
United States. ,Thirty-four nations
have adopted a modern system, he
said, and the United States il retain
ing one that stands as a far to foreign
trade. And yet. he continued. there
are many who foam at the mouth and
forget they are gentlemen when
change Is suggested.
'It In absurd" he said. "that there
should be so many kinds OF bushels in
America as to take four pages of fine
print In a Government publication 10
describe them
Competition is a thing OF the past,
said Secretary Redfield. and II has
served its purpose. The new thing
which await industry IL cooperation.
and We must remember the good
things about competition and forget
the bad things, while economic laws
take the course OF cooperation
Directors Elected.
Directors were elected as follow:
Frank H. Johnston, of New Britain.
Conn: Lewis z. Pierson. of New York
city: r. T. Cunningham. OF Fair
mont. w. Va. (re-elected): R. G.
Rhett. OF Charleston. S. c. (re-elect-
ed): Harry A Black. OF Galveston,
Tex: Clarence II. Howard, OF st.
Louis: L. c. Boyd. of Indianapolis
(re-elected); James Couzens.- OF De
troit (re-elected); f. T. Meredith. OF
Des Moines (re-electedD; Thomas B.
stearns, of Denver. Col. (re-elected):
]. E. Chilberg, OF Seattle, Wash. and
A. /. Esberg, OF San Francisco ire
elected).