The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-04-04
WORLD BUSINESS
 CONGRESS APPEALS
 ID THIRTY NATIONS
Secretary Hughes Will Open Historic ConCIave In Wash ington May 16-HundredS
 Expected to Attend
Ky Assncinted Press

New York, April 3.-Ambassadors, ministers and commercial representa- tives of more than 30 nations have ac- cepted the invitation of the National Association of Manufacturers to attend conference of ambassadors and min isters on world trade during the as. sociation's three-day annual conven- tion in this city beginning May Is.
 In making the announcement today the association stated that Secretary of State Hughes would formally open the conference on the second day of the convention unless some unfore- nseen circumstances should detain him in Washing ton A special train bear ing the distinguished guests is sched uled to leave the capital at. midnight, May 16.
 This important gathering" a state ment said, which will be the frs. of its kind ever held in this country, if not in the world. has been arranged in order that representatives of other nations may have an opportunity to explain to the men most intimately concerned in financing and extending our foreign trade, how the constructive forces of the United States may be CO., ordinated best to serve the needs of the world.
 GREAT OPPORTUNITY
 There will be discussions of the best methods to meet the demands of Europe and other countries for raw and manufactured materials and to ex- tend the credit that is so essential The National Association of Manufac- turers comprises 6,000 manufacturing enterprises, which produce more than TX m ar Of mn fo oti output of the nation, and this conven- tion will give their members an op- portunity to obtain the foreign view point direct for the first time in their history.
 Each session of the conference will be devoted, it was stated, to a par ticular group of nations and each will have as an honorary chairman one of the ambassadors from that group of nations.
 A special information section will be arranged where each country may have on exhibit special literature or special trade information for the bene- fit of the delegates.
 stephen C. Mason, president of. the association, will preside at the five sessions of the conference.
 "The fundamental necessity" Mir. Ma son said. lis to meet the need of Europe in raw and manufactured materials and machinery, So that she can take up again her productive activities without assuming an intolerable bur den of immediate obligations.
 UP TO AMERICA
 American manufacturers alone can meet these needs on bases of credit which will enable Europe and the rest of the world to resume their inter dependent commerce and thus restore employment and it's subsequent in- creased consumption power. American financial interests have familiarized themselves with world problems inso- far as the financing of foreign com merce has been concerned, but the manufacturer himself has lacked a broad, intimate Knowledge of the ne- cessities of the situation. Therefore he has failed possibly to understand why he should exert all of his in- genuity and resources in meeting the needs of the foreign buyer.
 This conference, we hope, will bring home directly to the members of the National Association of Manufac- turers the need for their fullest CO., operation in helping to solve the acute economic problems of the world"