The Washington herald., 1921-06-26
T0SEEK MEANS OF
RESTORING WORLD
TRADEAT MEETING
Eleven Nations Repre-
sented on Eve of Lon
don Conference.
200 DELEGATES IN
Confab Marks First Annua
Meeting of international
Chamber of Commerce.

Am earnest effort to md means
Of Fastening the restoration Oh
world commerce will be made oS
hu.iness men of eleven nations al
. meeting to be held during the
coming week in London The con-
ference Is the first annual meet
,nS a, tn. International Chamber
Of Commerce, organized in Paris last
summer.
nore than 200 leading American
business men are in London TO at-
>t.nd the meeting. The other coun-
trie. represented are Great Britain
France, italy, Belgium. Denmark
sweden, Greece. Holland, Poland ano
Czecho-Slovakia-
Americans Prime Movers
Americans, who see in. this new
vorld business organization an
agency that can aid in elimination
of trade practices which cause IN
ternationaI friction. were movers IN
its creation. They set afoot the
movement that gave birth to the
organization by calling at Atlantic
City in 1918 the International Traoe
Conference. Their hope that II may
bring closer international business
co-ooeration comes from the beliel
that IL Is to business and hnancial
leaders that the world must look
TO put its everyday affairs in work
ing order again. The new place
which the United States has attained
in world trade has quickened their
interest in its success
Some of the country's best known
business men are giving their ac-
tive attention and support to the
organization. Such men as these
are participating its affairs: Joseph
H Defrees, president Of the Chamber
of Commerce of the United States;
A C. Bedford, chairman of the
Standard Oil Company, of New Jer-
sey; Harry A. Wheeler, vice presi-
dent of the Union Trust Company
Of Chicago; Owen D. Young. wee
president of the General Electric
Company, New York; John H. Fahey.
Of Boston; Willis H Booth, vice
president of the Guaranty Trust
Company. of New York; William
Butterworth. president of Deere and
Company. of Moline. Ill: Edward A.
Filene, Boston merchant; James ).
Alexander. president of the National
Bank of Commerce, New York; E
A. S. Clark, president of the Con-
solidated Steel Corporation, New
York: Robert Dollar. of San Fran
cisco: W. A. Hartman. New York
Alba B. Johnson. Philadelphia; AL
exander Legg. Chicago: Dwight W
Morrow. New York: William c. Red
field, and Charles NJ. Schwab. Mr.
Bedford. of the Standard Oil. is
American vice president of the In
ternational Chamber.
Have Definite sugEestions.
The Americans have gone tC
London with certain definite sug-
gestions to present to the confer
ence regarding restoration of COM
merce. The main subjects to be con-
sidered are five in number as fol-
lows: Finance. transportation and
conlmunication. production. distribd-
tion. restoration of the devastated
regions. The Americans will offer
suggestions for increasing produc-
tion over the world. They will point
the way to elimination of interna-
tional practices that are hamper
ing the exchange of goods. One
suggestion If the American Railway
group is that there be created a
mammoth equipment pool to finance
the sale of railroad equipment.
John H Fahey, of Boston, who is
one of the American directors OF
the International Chamber. declares
the London meeting Is one of the
most important ever held by the
business men of the world.
More clearly than ever before
he says. 1T has come to the people
everywhere that the efficient and
steady expansion of the worlds COM
merce Is the greatest influence in all
progress. and measures the degree
OF contentment and happiness which
men may enjoy.
This meeting of the bankers and
business men of the leading coun-
tries Of thu world, therefore, to take
up seriously the question of what
they may do to hurry the process
OF reconstruction, after two and
one-half years of experience follow
the armistice, is of very great i'm
portance. II is upon the shoulders
of these men that the task falls of
restoring to full operation, with as
httle delay as possible, the worlds
facilities for doing business which
were so sadly disrupted by the war.
The statesmen of the nations
may devote themselves to the ad-
justment of political problems, which
Of necessity have a vast influence on
economic development. but, after
all. IL Is to the business and fnan-
cial leaders that the world must look
actually to put its practical every
day affairs In working order again.
Wise statesmen today not only
welcome but seek the counsel and
advice of the industrial, commercial.
and financial forces, and those
forces can hardly expect that prog
ress IN restoration will be as rapid
as y should be. unless they are pre-
parea . offer their cooperation.
ofsaaised Cooperation Needed.
SUeh cooperation can hardly be
erecfirb or useful unless IL Is or
gani<ec. and the suggestions Of
ferre ey/the commercial interests
are ths result OF careful study and
a fqii exchange of views on the
part o. experienced men of the diff
fsrent countries.
Aside from suggestion to, and
co opera:ion with the governments
q ~ clear that there Is much that
ths buhness men and bankers of
the leading countries may do on
their own account to remove OBJ
stselcsro the free fiow of commerce.
without waiting for the negotia-
Tons q statesmen. or the lesisla-
uon ~ parliaments and congresses.
cfrtainly, IL the worlds business