New-York tribune., 1919-05-02
Applaud Return OF
Cable Lines to
Their Owners
Government Operation of
Public Utilities Nexatious
and Costly, N. Y. Cham
Der of Commerce Holds

Government operation of public
utilities has been inefficient, vexatious
and costly, in the opinion of the mem
hers OF the Chamber of Commerce of
the State of New York. Resolutions to
this effect were adopted yesterday at
the annual meeting of the organization.
The apparent Willingness" of the
Postmaster General to return the cable
lines to their owners was approved.
The resolutions further declared that
since the government took control Of
the telephone, telegraph and cable sys-
TENS of the country there has been
& marked deterioration in the charac-
ter of service rendered.
The experience of nine months,
read the resolutions, "has created a
profound conviction that government
operation of such utilities should be
discontinued at the earliest possible
date"
Alfred E. Marling was reelected
president of the chamber for the COM
ing year. Other officers were elected
as follows: Vice presidents, Samuel w.
Fairchild, John D, Rockefeller, jr., and
Jacob H. Schitf; treasurer, William II.
Porter; secretary. Charles T. Gwynne;
cl arman of executive committee, Weld
ing Ring.
The commercial and economic posi-
ton of the new CzechoSlovak Republic
was discussed before the meeting by
Charles Pergler,,- commissioner OF the
republic in the United States.
Mr. Pergler emphasized the fact that,
before the war. the territory of what
is now the Czocho-Slovak Republic was,
economically and financially, one Of the
most important the Austrian prov
inces. More than 60 per cent of the
burden of Austrian taxation was borne
by the Czech countries, he said. They
produced 3S per cent of the grain,
mined S3 per cent Of 'the coal and 60
per cent OF the iron, and had so per
cent of the sugar factories.
The textile industry il CZecho Slo-
vakia. said Mr. Pergler. is of large pro-
portions, and the leather. paper, fur
niture and electro technical industries
are of Importance. For the American
exporter il is important to know, he
said, that the largest single item OF
the republics imnortations is the cot
ton needed to supply 100000 spindles.
The meeting CT the chamber was
opened by Cleveland II. Dodge, vice
president who presided until after the
els -tlOn or QTtcerS. When Nr. NaflMS
took the chair. A memorial to Angus
tus D. Juilliard. who died or April 25.
was adopted Major Elihu C. Church.
Of the United States army, made an
appeal for the employment of return
ing soldiers.
A resolution was adopted in favor of
the enactment OF legislation by Con-
gress to increase the efficiency of the
Patent Office. President Marling was
authorized to appoint a special com
nittee of five to study methods for the
promotion Of thrift.
Trade disputes involving millions of
dollars have been satisfactorily settled
without resort to litigation by the
committee on arbitration of the Cham
her OF Commerce, according to the re-
port submitted by Charles L. Bern
feimer, its chairman. The report
Indicated that the cancellations of
war contracts, amounting to S3,00O0OO,-
boo, were not being settled in salts
factory manner, and that Congress will
have to adopt the Calder-Snyder bill ,-or
some similar measure, if the busines
interests of the country are not to be
subjected to severe hardships
Requests for the settlement of dis
butes have come to the committee from
2 great variety Of sources, including
foreign ministers, consuls and foreign
chambers of commerce.