Evening star., 1922-05-16

Formal launching Of what is prob
ably destined to be an epoch-making
convention of the Chamber of Com
fected today in Convention Hall, 9th
and L streets northwest, when more
than 1000 leading business men Of
the nation. gathered in the tenth an
nuaI meeting Of the Organization.
Problems, with which the business
men have been wrestling for months
in their own Offices in an enort to
bring about a resumption Of normal
business conditions. and start gen
eral movement OF foreign commerce
are to be brought up in this meet
ing to develop the ideas of all the
business of the country. The dis
cussions of the meetings are to be
around the main question OF Euro
American business" and the whole
convention at this period in business
history will assume great 1nterna-
tional aspect, out of which is ex-
pected to come solutions of the prob
lens now confronting the world
Address By Balfour.
President Joseph H Defrees of the
Chamber of Commerce outlined the
purposes of the meeting in his ad-
dress and frst-hand information on
what the American business men
must solve in order to bring about a
world resumption of trade was given
to the business men today by Ar
thur Balfour, vice president OF the
Association of British Chambers OF
Commerce.
Address by J. H. Defrees.
European instability is the great
est menace to American stability.
American business and American
prosperity, President Joseph H. De-
frees told the delegates in his ad-
dress, and the big problem for the
business men to consider Is how and
when America should give aid in
our own interest as well as theirs.
While he said that business condt-
tions are on the mend. Mr.. Defrees
pointed out that when one looked
to Europe it is only the hopelessly
ignorant or the incurable optinist
that can work out any immediate as
surance Of comfort or stability. There
is not yet sufficient stability to Jus
tify optimism. he went on, and peo,,
pies live in dread Of each other and
Of the future. For these and other
reasons, he said, the subject ior the
present conference, European Con-
ditions and Their Effect on American
Business" was selected Ior the as
II talk confidently of the future
hecause I share in the general conf
dence that business conditions are on
the mend" said Mr.. Defrees. But 1t
would not be fair to you or to my
own reputation as man OF some
Judgment not to call attention to the
clouds threatening even our peace
and our prosperity. which have gath
cred and are still gathering In otner
parts of the world. The washington
conference on. Limitation of armament
nndAr the splendid leadership OF our
President and Secretary OF State,
taken together with the subsequent
ratifications Of the treaties resulting
therefrom by the Senate. has done
znn. and could have done more had
fhere been assurance of peace and
sta hSlity In China. But when we look
eastward to the center OK mooern
civilizations in Europe, to the mar
kets et half Ses s1Psrs or = the
fnc;,rabie optimist that can work out
INV immediate assurance OF comfort
or stability.
Future stfl Clouded.
"Haye conditions then failed to i'm
nroye since the close of the greatest
,.r.,, In history, now three and half
wears ago? Iwould hate to think that.
1 would not 60 SO far as to aver y.
what / must aver is that there has not
been sufficient improvement to 1ustfiy
ontimism as to the future-to create
SeeIing Of stability as to conditions
abroad or as to the effect of those con-
dstions upon this country. Hunger
and its kinsman. bolshevism. still stalk
menacingly across the stage, vars and
rnmors of wars are vet In progress.
homndaries are not fixed. governments
are not secure, finances are in turmoil.
Penules live in dread Of each other and
Of the future Those things that We
fouEht for and that our boys crossed
the sea to defend on foreign soils, sixty
[thousand losing their lives and many
more thousands MANNED and impaired.
the defeat Of militarism and the safety
of our own and other free governments.
have not yet been attained. How and
90 n NOi.