Evening star., 1919-07-27

Z ASHINGTON is already the
| NM b"sinl IS capital of the
v v United States: it will soon
lie the business capital of
the world. 1t is now the great fnan-
cial center to which the nations of
the world are looking for ready cash
and exchange to make commerce pos
| sible and the rebuild the industries
of Europe.
Washington has never been man.
ufacturing center, nor one of the
great martS of trade; but it has ar
rived at much higher destiny. for
it is already the center from which
American industry is developed and
directed, from which the policies are
promulgated that will govern the
most important industries of all the
| other nations of consequence in world
trade. And the business halo is
growing broader. and brighter as a
crowning glory of the richest ma
ton in the world, creditor for the
| largest countries, already a dominant
factor in commerce and determined to
be merchant marine mistress of the
seven seas.
Capital of Trade League.
A league of nations seems to have
| been born of the American partici-
| patton in the war-"to make the
| world safe for democracy" Out OF
| the American participation in the
war, imposing upon American indus-
trial life almost impossible burdens,
| has come a new mutual understand
| ing and partnership between govern
ment and business in this country.
! Out of the American participation in
| the alliance of nations to preserve
| human liberty has come commercial
| league of nations. a trade union OF
allies-with Washington as the head
quarters and capital.
| Great Britain, France, Belgium
Italy-allies in the war-are now
sending commercial missions to the
United States for conference with
more than 1000 business leaders who
helped to mobilize American business
to win the war. An American dele
cation has gone overseas to meet this
joint mission and escort it to Wash
| ington. The rebuilding of Europe is
stupendous task, scarcely conceiv-
able; the restoration and rehabilita-
tion of industries is a most urgent
task of herculean proportions. With
out any readily available resources,
financially BROKE" and dependent
entirely upon prospects-these nations
realize that their future. and espe-
cially the promptness with which
they rise out of the shambles and
ashes of war, depends on the United
States.
| American business, growing more
! efficient from war experiences, invited
these nations to a great international
| trade conference. SO that there may
be an understanding of what they
need, how this country can best sup
ply it, how unessentials can be dis
pensed with and the industrial life Of
the United States most efficiently get
down to work in supplying the ma
| chinery and raw materials to rehab-
ilitate European industries; and de-
Gliding in conference how this inter-
national rebuilding can be financed.
Conference Here Unprecedented.
Never in the history of the .busi-
ness world has such an international
| trade conference been held as has
been arranged for here next Septem-
| ber-and it has been arranged after
only about six months intensive ef-
| fort after American business with
| far-sightedness and initiative vision
| ed the necessities of the future and
the infinite possibilities from such a
round-table conference on the worlds
industrial and commercial future. The
! American public had little thought of
what was in progress until cabled
dispatches from the old world capitals
| told of the acceptance of the Ameri-
can proposal.
1t took organization thus to assume
leadership in directing the prepon-
derance of world business on uni
fed, comprehensive program. And
yet seven years ago every nation in
the world had a national business or
ganization save two-Turkey and the
United States. Germany's had been
| organized over 100 years. supported
by taxation and an arm of the gov
ernment; Hollands $50 years. Eng
Heads Worlds Greatest
Business Determination