Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-12-04

contracts, and that the industry Of the
nation will get everything to which It Is
entitled under each and every contract.
Mr. Baruch had been invited to attend
the reconstruction congress. He de-
CllneG with regrets, but sent message
to tho congress.
The opinion appeared to be prevalent
at the conference that the retiring chair
man declined the invitation because he
hesltated to appear before many of
the men who have been effected by the
rulings Of the war industries board.
Several declared they had been treated
unfairly by that Governmental agency
The first general session of the con-
gress got under way at 1926 o'clock
this morning 1t was opened with an
invocation by Bishop Thomas F. Sailor,
of Tennessee, who is vice president of
the United States Chamber of COM
merce.
Committees on credentials, rules and
| a clearance committee to take charge
| of the conference resolutions, were an
nounced by Elliot II. Goodwin, general
secretary Of the Chamber of Commerce.
Josiah H. De Freese, of Chicago. was
named chairman OF the clearance COM
| mittec.
l. business diplomacy Urged
The sweeping away of secret diplo-
| macy and replacing it with diplomacy
q. founded on business ethics and the crca-
| ton Of Il central committee as the
| spokesman Of American business, were
advocated by President Wheeler In the
keynote" speech Of the reconstruction
| congress.
Mr. Wheeler, who is vice president of
| the Union Trust Company of Chicago, be-
| leves that an economic boycott against
! Germany and Austria is neither politi-
cally nor economically sound. The boy
colt, together with the principle OF "fav-
ored nation" clauses in commercial
| treaties. he believes. would tend to drive
| the nations farther apart and increase
| industrial unrest.
The head of the National Chamber OF
| Commerce desires the selection Of CEN
tral committee OF American industries
an authoritative spokesman, empowered
| in emergency matters to make deClara
tions that will be supported by American
| industry as whole.
| Bnruch's Message to wheeler
Following his address, Mr.. Wheele
made public the message received from
| Mr. Baruch. It follows:
| lllt wal llluuSlIltS DOuEu, as yOl
know. was formed primarily for tn,
purpose of mobilizing the Industries o
the country In order that the war pro
grams OF the United States Government
and the Allies could be carried out Will
as little dislocation Of business as pos
sible. on the signing of the armistice re
| strictions were removed and bushes
, was permitted to flow in it's usual chan
nels In conjunction with this. the wa
| trade board and the shipping board ar
releasing restrictions upon imports anC
| exports rs rapidly as shipping Is be
coming available. Contracts with tn,
Government are being adjusted. In tn,
meantime there must surely be some de
rangement of business but I am certain
| that the business man of America cal
and will meet the situation which con
! fronts him.
"The cancellation of contracts doe!
not mean reputation of contracts
and the Government OF the Uited State
will not, 7 am sure, take from the in
dustry Of the country anything whicl
it is entitled to under each and ever,
contract. 1t will be the endeavor OF the