New-York tribune., 1919-05-02
Chamber Of Commerce Elm
mates Request for Presi-
dents Immediate Return:
Demands New Legislation
Exterior Bureau Urged
Secretary to Harmonic Eff
forts to Foster Foreign
Trade Is One Suggestion

ST. LOUIS, May latter adopting a
resolution urging President Wilson to
nasten back to America and call an
extra session of Congress, the United
States Chamber of Commerce., at to-
Gays session of the convention, recon
s'dered its action and eliminated refe~-
cnce to the Presidents return. The
amended resolution said it was hoped
that the President, Immediately upon
his return, will assemble Congress in
extraordinary session for enactment of
Legislation necessary to safeguard our
social and business structure"
The convention also adopted resolu-
iions declaring that "our government
should scrupulously refrain from enter
ing any of the fields of transportation
communication industry and commerce
or any phase of business when it can
ne successfully undertaken and con-
Quoted by private enterprise'
The resolution added that the ten
dency of the government to enter such
fields should be carefully weighed in
the light of it's possible effect upon the
very genius of our institutions"
Prompt return of telephone and tele-
graph properties TO their respective
owners was asked in another resolu-
tion. 1t urged legislation which would
permit consolidation of companies or
Joint utilization of facilities when in
the public interest
To Relieve Unemployment
To relieve unemployment, the gov
crnment is asked Immediately to pro-
ceed with all public work. The con-
vention also adopted resolutions urg-
ing the appointment of Federal high
way commission to handle all govern
ment highway questions; urging gov
ernment encouragement of foreign
trade, and recommending investments
abroad of American money
George c. Vedder, of the Chester
Shipbuilding Company, advocated
United States Department of the Ex-
terror, headed by Cabinet official, in
his address.
The speaker, who has been active in
export circles for fifteen years, OBJ
jected to what he terms loose talk
about the nationalizing of foreign
trade, trade wars and the conquest OF
foreign markets.
Mr.. Vedder's specific recommended
tion follows:
The duty of the Secretary of the
Exterior would be to promote the well
fare of other peoples in so far as this
depends on their actual or potential
economic relations with the United
States.
THE Department of the Exterior
would, through economic ministers ap-
pointed to each important foreign
country, and eventually to all coun
tries, gather information and formu-
late plans by means of which we might
help each alien community to realize
more quickly or more fully its eco
nomic destiny, at least to the extent
that this depends on relations with
the United States.
Harmonize Organized Efforts
The Department of the Exterior
would correlate and harmonic the or
ganized efforts now being made TO fos-
ter our foreign trade"
While the United States Chamber of
Commerce was meeting the Associa-
ton of Commercial Club Secretaries
faced squarely the problem Of unem
ployment among returned SoldlerS.
Robert H. Manley, of Omaha, told
the conference that it was becoming
increasingly difficult for industries to
absorb returned soldiers and recon-
mended concerted action by all COM
merclal organizations.
In discussing adjustment of govern
ment war contracts at a group meet
ing Goldthwaite H. Dorr. assistant di-
rector OF munitions, said disposition
OF the enormous quantities of war ma
teriai held by the government will be
made through the producers over