The Washington herald., 1921-03-11
SEEKS CLOSER
COOPERATION In
WORLD TRADE
Secretary Hoover Out
lines Plans of Commerce
Department.
RADICAL CHANGES :.
WAIT ON CONGRESS
Immediate Plans Call for
Neither Legislation Nor
Appropriations.

government departments, Secretar,
of Commerce Hoover announced yes
terday.
In the meantime. Mr. Hoover will
devote his attention to plans foi
enlarging the field OF usefulness oi
the department, which will not re-
quirs either legislation or additional
appropriations.
Some Inmediate Aims.
Among his ideas for immediate
activity. Mr.. Hoover made known
the following:
Establishment of a wider and bet
ter organized cooperation with the
trade and commercial associations Al
part of an effort to provide a con-
tact between industry in this coun'
try and the foreign agents of thu
Bureau of Foreign and Domestit
Commerce.
A constructive study OF all prob
lens having a fundamental bearing
on the recovery in commerce, such
as the question of transportation
including railroad. ocean and inlant
waterway. power development ant
labor readjustment.
For Standardized Products
Extension of Standardization II
manufactured products through vol.
untary agreement Of the manufac'
turers under the leadership Of tn,
department.
promotion of greater efficiency In
industry to aid in meeting the com
petition of other nations which have
cheaper labor costs.
Constructive action toward apply
ing idle labor in such needed prof
ects as housing, development o'
power plants, waterways and high
ways. --.s-g
Secretary Hoover declared his IN
tsntion to co-opefate to the fulles
extent with the Joint Congressiona
Committee, headed by Senate
Smoot, which will work out a pro
gram for the reorganization of gov
ernment departments,
Seeks to Serve Commerce.
I "The Department OF Commerc,
should be in the widest sense a de.
partment of service to the com
merce and industry of the country
Mr.. Hoover said. 1T is not a de-
partment for the regulation of trade
and industry. In order to do serv.
ice to the greatest advantage
wish to establish a wider and bet
ter organized cooperation with tn,
trade and commercial associations
and will in a short time presen
some plans to this end. want 4
see our efforts to push our foreign
commerce more closely related {,
our industries.
This sort Of enlarged activity 4,
within the original purpose of tn
department, and requires neitbA
Legislation nor burden upon taxpay
ers. This is no time to ask for ap
propriations to undertake new work
1t is the time to search for econom,
and reorganization. for effective ex,
penditure on essentials, the reduc
ton of less essentials. and the elimi
nation of duplication
Outside of voluntary measures
the only immediate extension o
service lies in securing greater In
ternal efficiency, in which I am GER
tain all bureaus join. The futur
of the. department in it's sofli
ties to meet the needs Of our indus
tries and trade must await the thor
ough reorganization Of the who'll
executive machinery. now bein,
vigorously undertaken by Congress
The need of il, both in economy an,
to secure more definite purpose Il
government departments. does no
need demonstration"
Inherited From the War.
Mr.. Hoover pointed out that tn,
great economic difficulties inherite
! from the war are obvious enough
and they emphasize the necessity o
better governmental machinery Z,
assist in their solution.
Their final remedy must rest OF
the initiative of our own people
the rate of recovery can be expe
dited by greater cooperation in tn,
community and with the communit-
by the government. and this depart
! ment and the whole governmen
wish TO assist wherever they can I,
stimulate and assist this co-opera
tion. he asserted.
IN the long run, we may as wei
realize that we must face a lowe
standard of living in Europe man,
years ahead. The production cost
of her people will in CONSEQUENCE
be lower than even before the wal
IL we meet this competition al,
still maintain our high standards o
living. we will have to worl
harder; we will have to elimina.
waste; we will need to still turtle
improve our processes, our labor Ie
lationship and business methods. I
we would so improve our nationa
efficiency and our foreign trade. W
must consider, our transportation
both railway. water and marine, a
tion as a whole.
The development OF certain trad
routes through our mercantile ma
rines as the real extension CT ou
inland transportation: the i'm
provement OF great waterways: th
opening of the Great Lakes &
Iocean-going vessels; the develop
ment OF great electrification of ou
power necessities. and the handiin,
of our labor readjustment by mod
crate men on both sides, are al
problems that have a fundameuta
bearing on 4 the recovery lin com
mcrce and on our ability tr com
pete.
Eiiminatien Of WASTES.
"If I were outlining one OF th
most essential directions for expan
sion Of gdwernmental activity, |
would be I'D the constructive stud
CONTINUED on PAGE THREE.