The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1919-11-19
Southern Commercial Congress
Will Gather in Eleventh An
nual Convention i'm Georgia
City December $40.
DUNCAN II. FLETCHER
HONORARY PRESIDENT
Concert of Action BY Southern
States as to Racial and Eco
nomic Questions Also Financ-
ing Be Theme of Meeting.

The eleventh annual convention of
the Southern Commercial Congress
Will be held in Savannah, Georgia, De-
cember $40. DIR. Clarence J. Owens,
the director general of the Southern
Commercial Congress, assisted by
Buist c. Getsinger, the commissioner
of commerce will this week open the
offices of the congress in the DeSoto
hotel, Savannah, Georgia, in prepara-
tion for the convention.
The congress falls on the eleventh
anniversary of the present regime and
the sixty third anniversary of the ses-
sion OF the congress held in Savannah
prior to the civil war. Coincident with
the sessions of the congress will be
held the convention of the woman's
Auxiliary of the Southern Commercial
Congress, and the convention of the
House of Southern Governors.
Commissions are being issued to 100
delegates appointed by each of the
governors of the senate included in
the territory of the Southern CONNER
ciaI Congress Representatives are
being appointed by commercial or
ganizations and municipalities. Sew
eral thousand delegates will assemble
in Savannah for the congress and to
women of national and international
renown, including foreign diplomats
land trade commissioners, members of
the cabinet and of the congress of the
United States governors of states and
a group of experts to discuss economic
subjects relating to the south. The
congress will be presided over by
Honorary President Duncan u E1etch-
er, and President Robert w. Bingham.
The Woman's Auxiliary will be pre-
sided over by Miss Louise c.. Lindsey
of Nashville. Tennessee. and the
House of Southern Governors by Gov
ernor Hugh NJ, Dorsey, chairman of
the house.
The trade commission, organized by
the Southern Commercial Congress
that has just returned from an intens-
i've survey of the opportunities for di-
rect and reciprocal trade relations be-
tween the south and Europe will sub
NIT it's report at the Savannah con-
gress Representatives of the trade
commissions of European countries
now in the United States will particle
pate in the Savannah convention. The
secretary of the navy, as in former
congresses, held in Charleston, Nor
folk and Baltimore will mobilize ves-
sells of the Atlantic fleet in the Savan
nah river and harhor for official par
ticipation and it is expected that the
war department will be represented by
General John J. Pershing. and staff.
General Pershing having accepted
tentatively and having indicated that
he saw no barrier in the way of his
presence in Savannah.
The United States department of
commerce will be represented by the
acting secretary, who viii deliver an
address. and by officers of the Bu-
reau of Foreign and Domestic Com
merce. who, as trade advisors Will
be in attendance for consultative pur-
poses. Acting secretary of commerce
Sweet will mobilize the fleet of the
department of commerce in the Sa-
be made for delegates attending the
congress to visit the vessels Of the
navy and the department of commerce
and cruises complimentary to the
delegates will be conducted on the
river and harbor.
The theme of the eleventh congress
will be first the south's part in the
American merchant marine; second,
the south's part in the solution of the
economic problems of the nation;
third. the extension of the trade of
the southern states with Latin -Ameri-
can countries.
The House of Southern Governors is
to hold an executive session and II is
expected that a program will be work
ed out providing for a concert of ac-
tion by the southern states, both as
to racial and economic subjects and
as to the financing of the south's
greatest asset; its cotton crop. A COM
plete program for the congress. giving
the full report as to speakers and
titles of addresses will be ready within
a week