Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1921-08-09
BUSINESS HEADS
/. PLAN COOPERATION
BY HARDEN COLFAX
(Loased Wire Service to The Journal.)
(CoDyripht 1921

(CopyrlSnC, 15Zl.)
WASHINGTON, Aug. 6.-Closer
association Of all the big business
interests Of the country-producers
manufacturers, distributors and re-
tailers-is in prospect here in the
nations capital. The whole trend
Of the readjustment period is toward
such an organization, loose and in
formal, almost certainly, at first, and
evidences of its coming appear I'M
mistakable.
In fact the groundwork for such
a structure already has been built
and there exists in Washington to-
aay an informal luncheon club whose
members represent large proportion
Of the country's major Industries.
This club meets once a week to dis
cuss helpfully, informally and
where possible - alphabetically,
problems of production, distribution
and legislation which affect business
as whole.
could hardly be termed an organiza-
ton. Its members call it the Monday
Luncheon club. Every Monday at /
o'clock covers are laid for it's meet
ing in a private dining room of the
Hotel Washington. Nathan B. Will
tional Association of Manufacturers,
preSideS over the meetings. Pres
emit usually are the Washington rep
resentatives of national associations,
whose members, in many instances,
are scattered throughout the coun-
try, united by the common bond of
common business problems.
There are no dues to this club Its
membership, purely personal, is open
to the washington representatives or
of1cers of the many national indus
trial and commercial trade organiza-
tions here. The club members come
as they please, do as they please and
say what they think. No publicity
attaches to this discussion, no reso-
lutlons are ever adopted, but out
Of the meetings has grown a more
or less intimate knowledge to each
man Of the. other fellows problems,
the views, of other industries than
affecting all industries.
Some of the organizations whose
oniciads or representatives hold
club are the American Mining con-
gress, the lumber manufacturers, the
petroleum producers, the meat pack
ers, the soft coal producers and coal
wholesalers, the automobile manu-
facturers, the building trade, the
public: utilities, the National grange,
the American Bankers association,
| the cotton manufacturers, the credit
men, the short line railroads, the
drug manufacturers, the engineering
| societies, the manufacturing chem
lists, the cane growers and the retail
many others as well. An outsider,
looking in, could obtain from the
| gathering first rate view Of a
cross section of American industry
| and commerce.
These men have many dealings
| with government officials concerning
Industrial and commercial affairs.
| When they want to get good idea
OF how a government bureau or de-
| partment functions, what it has in
dustry, the head Of the bureau or
department is invited to luncheon.
Thus far the club has been addressed
Informally by Secretaries Hoover,
| Wallace and Weeks. DR.. Julius
Klein head Of the bureau of for
has given them an insight into the
projected ideas Of his bureau and
other bureau chiefs have addressed
them.
Such discussions and frequent
meetings have led to closer under
more efficient cooperation in their
work. The organizations thus repre-
sented obtain first hand information
| concerning government where gov.
eminent touches them and are en-
abled to guide their actions more in
diligently than without it.
That ds the Monday Luncheon
club as it exists today. What it may
be tomorrow is thus visualized by q
member:
| "A closer association Of national
industrial and commercial organiza-
tons dealing with the four funda.
mentals of production, distribution
transportation and finance"
| These four problems are common
to all industries. They form a
foundation upon which is building
apparently, an association Of asso.
Citations. The big organization prob.
ably will come slowly. Before its
organization in formal fashion there
will doubtless be linked together
numerous associations in the same
line. Coal affords an example Of
what might be done, in the formation
recently of a committee Of twelve
representing the four major associa-
tons in that in6ustry-hard and soft
coal producers, wholesalers and re-
tailers-to present united front
against the Frelinghuysen bills.
Government officials seeking the
views of leaders in any Zine Of in
dustry today are turning to the trade
associations representing that indus.
try. They find not one association
but many. If Secretary Eoovel