New-York tribune., 1918-12-07
Convention in Atlantic CITY
Adopts Principles for the
Period of Reconstruction
Resolutions to Congress
Generosity to Allies, Unity
of Capital and Labor and
Trade Expansion Urged

VIII be taken back to every part of
the United States in which trade -four
ishes by the delegates to the War
Emergency and Reconstruction Con-
gress Committees here, which came to
close to day.
The new statement of principles
touching the readjustment period rep
resents an attempt to perpetuate many
OF the industrial lessons learned dur
ing the war. 1t includes both a philos
ophy of commerce and practical pro-
gramme.
The conclusions Of the convention. at
which 420 units of production had
their spokesman, will be despatched to
Cong s IN the form of thirty or more
one exception, unanimously adopted at
to-days session. They will be carried
TO the peace congress in Europe by
special courers Of American business
men,
In spite of President Wilson's 81
fence on the suggestion to him some
weeks ago that he take a commission
OF business experts overseas with his
party to advise him on questions Of
trade and production, the delegates,
representing at least 95 per cent of
Americas manufacturing industries.
unanimously decided to send such q
body to France. The convention au-
thorzed the president of the Chamber
of Commerce of the United States,
after Insulation with the representa-
tlves OF other appropriate bodies, to
Sppolnt commission representative of
American business, which shall proceed
without delay to Europ eand establish
machinery for the following purposes:
To Advise United States Delegates
"Io be available to the peace dele
gates of the United States for any
needed information which they may be
which may be given by the business
men of the United States through the
medium of such commission.
ITO study at first hand the recon-
struction needs of European countries
in conjunction with business men of
these nations in order to advise the
business men of the United States as
to how they may be most helpful in
meeting the necessities of Europe and
caring for the interests Of American
industry ard commerce."
No other proposal to the convention
from Joseph II. Defrees, Of Chicago,
which fused the specific recommenda-
tions of 381 special committees into a
genealr programme, aroused so much
spontaneous enthusiasm as his recon-
mendation that business be repre-
sented at the great settlement more
directly than by "the counsel of sta
tistics." Thousands Of delegates rose
to their feet when the resolution
passed, and yelled for JOY.
4.
conference was deemed especially suit
able for the proposed diplomatlsts of
industry to carry to France. 1t sad
Work With Allies
ain war we have made common cause
with the Allies. We should likewise
make common cause with them in seek
ing the solution of the immediate
, problems of reconstruction which they
lace, because of the efforts they put
forth in the war. These problems pc
cularly depend for their solution on
commerce. Raw materials and indus
trial equipment which we possess the
Allies urgently require, that they may
reconstltute their economic life. We
should deal generously with them in
sharing these resources. In order that
we may share our materials with the
Allies, we must also provide them with
CicuIlS tnTOuBn Wnlcn Jney ma ymake
the necessary payments.
Our ocean tonnage must supply our
troops overseas and help to provision
the inhabitants of war devasted
regions The part Of our ocean tom
rage not required for these paramount
needs, and vessels of associated coun-
tries which are in a similar situation,
should be entered into the common
service of all nations. This common
service should secure to all nations
their immediate needs of food, raw
materials and transport for their prod
tets"
See Changed World
Behind all the resolutions there was
the conscious willingness of the states
men of the industries to examine
ceptions There was a sharp recog-
I irlon Of a changed world and frank
Willingness to follow the spirit of
the times.
Four general propositions were con-
tained in the numerous affirmations,
which were ratified in the final session
in an hour and half:
Labor and capital are partners,
not enemies, and both should be
adequately represented in industrial
affairs. A desire to meet labor more
than half way and treat workers as
human beings, not producing machines,
as summarized in a paper Thursday by
John R. Rockefeller, jr., led the dele
gates to plan a national era of good
feeling, with special safeguards against
unemployment and other maladjust-
ments incident to a relocation of labor
into peace industries.
= A generous policy should be
adopted in foreign trade toward
the Allies, especially during their
period of recuperation from the war,
making sure that America does not
become the "hated creditor" in the
worlds great crisis.
z A strong conviction that govern
ment ownership would stif1e the
economic growth of the country, but
that constructive governmental super
vision of industry by friendly bodies
would be proper and helpful. The as
surance that the enlightened self-in-
terest of the leaders of business would
enable private initiative to direct in
dustry and commerce in a spirit of
service.
Confident in U. S. Trade
4 Confident belief in the destiny of
America, particularly in trade. and
a restless desire to stimulate expan-
sion by the rapid development of the
natural resources. including better
water power, greater harbor facilities,
animated much of the discussion and
determined many of the conc usions.