The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1922-05-19
BY DAVID LAWRENCE
Copyright 1922.

=
WASHINGTON, May l9-Ameriea
must sit down and talk things over with
Europe; a basis for economic co-opera-
ton must be found; the United States
cannot afford to play waiting game too
| long-this is the sentiment of the
majority of the delegates to the conven-
| ton of the United States chamber of
! commerce as reflected not only in pub
lie discussion but private comments.
| A gathering of business men of the
| type here today is not usual in the ma
tional capital and what. is being said
| on the subject of international relations
carries more weight because the chamber
OF commerce is non -political and non
partisan. Republicans in the conven-
ton of businessmen are as outspoken
in their conviction that America must
play more active part as are Demo
Gratis. incidentally the criticism of the
| Republicans by Democrats is one of the
most significant things one hears in the
| Hobbies where the business men are
| gathered, While the criticism is
| mostly directed at the slow speed of
congress and its factionalism, enough is
said about the hesitation of President
] Harding TO lead congress to indicate that
business men want more action and less
! drifting. Those who have supposed that
| congress alone was the subject of
scrutiny would be disillusioned to hear
what the business men are saying about
the need for more action on the part of
the. chief executive and more positive
leadership IN International affairs.
American Prosperity Involved
As one influential business man ex-
pressed it, the administration cannot
constantly imagine the European prob
lem Is political but must sooner or later
realize that it is economic and that il
affects American prosperity. The view
is repeatedly expressed that when a
problem of critical Importance faces
business men they do not write letters
TO each other but sit down and talk il
: over. = Business men are especially
traders, said one of the chamber
They make progress by mutual conces
! sion. They at least tell each other wha
they are willing to do. Otherwise W,
shall get nowhere. 1t S all very well Il
say we shall wait until Europe is stabl
but we must show what we are read,
to do so we can help stabilize
There is small group of delegate
here who do not share the views-the'
believe In letting things drift and wait
ing for the political parties to develo
their policies. They think business ca
make progress through high tariffs an
the lowest wages possible. Their eye
are focused on policy of economic iso
lation. They are Indifferent to the tai
of profit in foreign trade.
Sympathy with Hughes and Hoover.
Apart from this small group, however
the animated conversations of the dele
gates on all questions ranging from
| settlement of the Russian problem
>, American representation on the repara
C. tlons commission and a speedy DISPOSE
!. ton of the assets of aliens still held b
n 1 tx11aa I'D,
J. clearly that there is more sympath
h with the policies of Secretaries Hughe
Q. and Hoover. who are constantly referre
TO as approaching the realities of tn
situation, than with other member
OF the administration.
Much of the informal discussion ha
burned on the subject of the allied deb
n The process of funding it has hardly be
gun but business men say those VIII
imagine the debt can be collected in ful
should be prepared for disappointment
- These same business leaders insist tina
before the matter is disposed of Americ
VIII find herself discounting the debt t
certain extent or at least arrangin
, the payments so that it amounts to tn
same thing.
What these business men keep sayin
. | Is that the purchasing power of Europ
: must be restored and that when it i
II American agricultural products an
manufactured goods will find a splendi
market and America win feel a decides
stimulus resulting in expansion of facili
ties and work for the unemployed II
raise the purchasing power of Europe, i
is insisted the United States govern
ment must lend helping hand. Dele
gates differ as to formula but the con
census of opinion is that the Unite,
I States must help finance the formul;
and not expect Europe to do all tn
suggesting.