New-York tribune., 1918-03-29
u. S. Can't Answer
Allies Appeals,
Catchings Asserts
"Omce Boys" Direct War,
Saws Commerce Cham
ber Head

Waddill Catchings. chairman of the
War Service Committee of the United
States Chamber Of Commerce. as
serted yesterday, in an address before
the National Wholesale Lumber Deal
ers' Association at the Waldorf-Astoria
Hotel, that the United States was un-
able to respond to frantic appeals" to
send more troops to France. He de-
clared Washington is filled with "office
boys" instead Of able business men.
President Wilson, he said. had snubbed
the United States Chamber of Com
merce and deferred to organize labor.
His auditors applauded him.
Frantic appeals to us to send troops
to Europe to reinforce the lines of
our allies in this time of grave anx
iety can have no effect" he said.
"The utmost we can do is measured
by what we did last year. Any call
for help now cannot be met by any
helpful response.
"Senator Borah was right when he
said this was not war of armies, but
a war of nations, and our business
problems are the far-reaching issues
Of the war We cannot regard this as
q struggle for the month. We must
reckon our resources for year from
now.
SIN this war business interests have
not had their part. am going to speak
frankly, for this is no time to be max
ing statements just to be polite. There
arc few business men in the councils
of the nation. On the contrary, there
IS the finest aggregation of office boys
IN Washington | have ever seen. I'm
f1E ,rf1
councils of the Administration without
further delay this war is going to be
lost. There is no overhead organiza-
ton at Washington, made up of bust
ness men. | know whereof | speak, for
we of the patriotic Chamber of Com
merce have tried twice to get an audi
ence with the President and have failed
both times"
Mr.. Catchings said that in ignoring
the Chamber Of Commerce invitation
to speak in Atlantic City and going
to Buffalo to speak at the labor CON
vtntion President Wilson was only fol-
lowing the trend of thought of the
people.
"Thc people do not trust the busi-
ness men, he said. Ever since the in
surancc investigation this distrust has
been increasing. That is why the busi-
ness man has not been in the councils
OF the Administration where decisions
were reached. or were not reached.
nat is why the appointment of col
lcgc professor to handle the coal
problem was more pleasing to the pco-
pie than the appointment of an expert
ana a prominent coal operator would
have been"
The convention adopted resolutions
OF loyalty. Another resolution cx
pressed the belief Of the lumbermcn
that the Washington authorities had
misunderstood the motives of the
wholesale dealers in offering their re-
sources to the government for speeding
up the war. This offer had been re,
Jectcd; the Federal director Of lumber
stating tho government bought onlv
direct from the manufacturer. The
resolution provided for sending com
mlttee to Washington to have the sub
lect reopencd
Horace +. Taylor, Buffalo, vice-prcsi-
dent OF the association, was elected
president; J. W. Mcclure, of Mcmphis.
was. elected vice president. The fol-
loving were chosen trustees: Gordon
{. Edwards. Ottawa; Fl. W. M.Oon
ough, Boston; George +. Kerns. Chi
cago; l.. B: Hammer. Philadelphia; ].
{. Campbell, Tioga, w. Va, and D. c.
Anderson, Marion, S. c.