The Pensacola journal., 1920-04-28
to Permanent Com
mi tee on Communications
Between American Republics
Is Announced by Secretary
Houston.
WILL STUDY TRADE OF
CONTINENTAL NATIONS
Secretary of Commerce Alex
ander Is Chairman and Ad-
miral Benson Is Vice-Chair-
man of New Organization.

Senator Duncan u. Fletcher was
notified last night of his appointment
by President Wilson, through Secre-
tary of the Treasury David f. Houston,
to be a member of the permanent COM
mittee on communications established
by suggestion of the recent pan-Amer-
lean Financial Congress. The COM
mittee will study communication fa-
cilities between the American repub-
lies and suggest means for improve
ment.
The committee will cooperate with
the International Joint High Commits
SION of which Senator Fletcher Is a
member and which held a conference
at Buenos Aires some years ago. The
work of the committee has a great
bearing on trade between the 90 Amer
lean republics. 1t will take up such
questions as ocean transportation,
radio and cable communication and
postal facilities.
Joshua w. Alexander, secretary of
commerce, will be chairman of the
fnew committee and Admiral william
Is. Benson, chairman of the shipping
board, has agreed to serve as vice
chairman.
Among other things the Joint High
member has already settled matters
pertaining to trade marks, spoilage in
shipment, failure TO make credit ship
ments good, etc, by the establishment
of a court of arbitration through the
chambers of commerce of the nations
affected so that trade differences do
not go into unfriedly courts of law but
are settled by adjustment.
The second pan-American financial
conference, has adopted that part of
the report of the committee on trans
portation and communication relating
to maritime transportation" and di-
rected that the report be transmitted
to the international high commission
for suitable action. In the report of
the committee on transportation it was
recommended that a permanent COM
mittee be appointed to investigate
problems of transportation and COM
munications and TO make suitable rec
concentrations to the various govern
ments for the Improvement or expan-
sion of existing facilities and for the
more suitable development of COM
lean republics.
In accordance with the resolution.
the secretary of the treasury win es-
twenty-five members. of which Joshus
w. Alexander, secretary of commerce.
has consented to serve as chairman
and Admiral William S. Benson. chair
man of the United States shipping
board, as vice chairman. The work os
the committee viii to a large extent
be carried on by subcommittee, of
which it is proposed to establish five.
The sub committees may serve for all
practical purposes as independent
units but they will confine their com
mittee, and they are to transmit re-
ports to him for the consideration
of the entire committee.
1t is contemplated that the subcom-
mittees endeavor to gather informa-
ton bearing on the more urgent prob
lens in their respective fields, study
proposed regulations, keep in touch
with committees of like purposes but
unofficial in character, draft models
or uniform Recommendation, examine
programs of financial cooperation In
their respective fields, be of whatever
service possible to the official dele
gates of the United States to the in
conference soon to meet
in Washington, and aid in carrying
into eject international conventions or
other agreements calculated TO pro-
mote better conditions or methods Of
operation in inter continental COM
munication.
-o-~