Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-12-02
v|RC|N|ANS INTERESTED
IN BUSINESS GATHERING
Industrial and Commercial Questions
To BE Discussed at Atlantic
City This Week.
TO PLAN FOR RECoNsTRUCTloN
Many Important Problems Must Be
Thrcshcd Out by Men Attending
ConfcrcnCcS-Unitc States Cham
bcr OF Commerce Calls Session.

organization OF virtually all indus
trial aud commercial interests of the
nation into single unit to represent
business in general will he undertaken
| at Il series OF conferences opCninr
at Atlantic city tomorrow and con
tinuing until Friday. of war service
committees OF each industrial or trade
group formed during the war as me-
diums for negotiation between tho gov
crpmcnt ard their respective business
There arc moro than 500 Of these com
mittccS. to which many NirEinianS he
long. each composed of the leaders
"f the industry or trade. and the con :
fcrences are expected to bring to-
Ecthcr between 1000 and 5000 prom
incnt business men to discuss problems
OF reconstruction industrial relations
after the war, raw materials and their
control price regulation. amended anti
trust legislation. export and import
regulations. financial supervision and
similar subjects.
1t is planned to organize tho indus
tries represented ny these 500 or more
committees into thirty-fvc groups.
aligned according to interests. and
finally into ten master groups. which
will federatc in a single organization.
The Importance of this movement. its
organizers say. is that ii will effect
the largest organization of business
interests ever attempted in the United
states.
The conference was called by the
Chamber of Commerce of the United
States. which has assisted in the or
Canization OF war service committees
for each industry to cooperate with
the War Industries Board and other
government agencies in regulation Of
production during the war. number
OF prominent speakers have been en-
gagged for the general sessions. and
each industrial or trade group has
formed its own program OF topics for
consideration and OF speakers.
The principal Immediate purpose Of
the conference Will be to determine
practical methods by which industry
,tD ,-r 20 or col !, 81 ,n
government during the reconstruction
period by more ccnralzcd scheme
OF organization.
Here are some of the more important
questions to he presented for discus
sion aud as the basis for recommended
ton TO the government:
What method should the govern
ment pursue in tho cancellation OF
contracts TO insure tho least hardships?
What should he done with the enor-
nous war plants the government has
Pat into operation in Your craft during
The war can he continued? How are
W" 10 bring about better relations be-
tween employers and employees? How
can men discharged from the army and
navy best he absorbed by industry?
How far should American business men
20 IN eomhi.,ns 10 I Ivy and sell IN
American business meh give the Euro
pean countries IN their rehabilitation:
How closely should business work with
ton and dem utilization plans? What
kind OF government agencies should
be established TO deal with rcconstruc-
ton? What legal methods or means
could be introduced III the craft TO
better stabilize prices during the re-
construction period?
What is Your financing problem
during reconstruction" Do you rec
ommend government aid? on unde-
livered government orders. what per-
centaSe of materials on hand. supplied
either by the government or purchased
by YOU for government orders can be
utilized by Your craft for commercial
purposes during 1872 What is the
value of a uniform method OF cost ac-
counting for the individual nranufac-
turcr and the craft n Il whole? What
new methods and practices would sim
plify materials, eliminate waste. reduce
number of styles, save materials, with
out destroying indi, idual creativeness?
What propa Eanda is necessary 10 cdu-
cate the retailer and consumer to ac-
cept these climinations ard simplih-
II is planned also to prepare for the
quick assembling of extensive infor-
nation on industrial and labor condi-
tons for use by business representa-
tiveS. Congress ana the government eN-.
cutivc branches in the reconstruction.