Arizona republican. [volume] (Phoenix, Ariz.) 1890-1930, 1922-05-19

President Tells Chamber OF Commerce Con
uention Business Is ReDiUing And Country
Is Finding Itself; Says American Industry
Should Not Be Sacrificed For Other Lands

WASHINGTON, May lS-Presi-
dent Harding, speaking today before
the chamber of commerce of the
United States, declared that the
country .'at this very moment is on
the threshold of new era; that busi-
ness is reyiying and the country is
finding itself"
The government, he said, was
greatly interested in restoration of
normal world business and economic
conditions and he added that there
was no disposition on its part to hold
aloof from other nations. American
industry, however, he said, should
not be destroyed to build up the COM
merce of other lands.
The president declared there was
not one constructive thought in the
mind of the administration at the
present time which took rank over
that of desire to establish firmly
and sufficiently an American mer-
chant marine. He doubted, he Said,
if the world war would have oc-
Cured had the United States pos
sessed merchant marine commen-
surate with its commercial impor-
tance.
If there is any one realization"
he said, which fixes itself more
firmly than another in the mind of
one charged with great responsibility,
it is the conviction that the business
life of the republic is the reflex of
all its good fortunes. l think / can
venture to say that commerce and
civilization go hand in hand; and
were it not for commerce khere would
be no civilization.
+I,lo ft,+ Nf ~,
thority, and having responsibility
comes another consideration. Com
merce finds its place in all our con-
siderations. Undoubtedly it had
much to do with the bringing about
Of the world war and l think l can
say just as confidently that it was
never once forgotten in the nego-
tiation of peace. 1t is so inextricably
associated with all we do that COM
merce is always foremost in the life
of any people.
Commercially Great People
"We in America am sure it is
not unseemly to say it--are COM
merciallv a great people and we
ought to be. God blessed us most
bountifully in resources. In the citi-
zenship Of this republic is the blend
of every people in the world almost,
and l like to say believe we are un-
excelled in genius. we are incom-
parable in our industry and we have
the talent and the determination
the righteous determination-to be
commercially one of the foremost
nations of the world
"This aspiration to excel is ever
an impelling one b4cause we have
learned from our observations of So
cial and civic life that from the great
golden stream of commerce flows ev-
erything IN life worth while.
IF it were not for this golden
stream that comes from exchanges,
from productivity and exchanges,
there would be little of obligation,
there would be less of art, there
would be few of the finer attain
ments which make life worth while.
while / am speaking very briefly
wish to speak, ladies and gentlemen,
for a commerce with a conscience.
And If I We're to bring only an
admonition to you, would like to
charge you men and women Of in
fluence and responsibility with the
task of eliminating from American
commerce those who do not have con-
SCIENCE. whose conscienceless prae-
tices bring that criticism which
}OAA <aillNAA~eeAA a.
tivities
Something has been said. and /
thing opportunely said, that we want
a period in America with less gov
ernment in business and more busi-
ness in government. If the commerce
of America were always conscientious
there never would be a single excuse
for government in American busi-
ness.
Equality in Commerce
There is not an agency in Ameri-
can life which can so easily put an
end to abuses and offenses in Amer
ican commerce as those which are
conspicuous in the leadership of that
commerce 1t will not do to pursue
the activities with which we Ameri-
cans are connected without a mind
fulness of everybody involved. COM
merce cannot be adjusted alone to
the fortunes Of the captains of in
dustry There must always be a
thought OF the great mass without
which there could be no productivity
on the one hand and little consump-
ton on the other.
"And beg to remind you that the
great World war like every other war,
which preceded it but more notably
the great World war. because of its
incalculable immensity, has left
state in human affairs quite differ
ent from any that ever preceded 1t.
The war would bring about COM