Evening star., 1923-01-08
BY FREDERIC WILLIAM VILE.

While the Harding administration,
Micawber-like, Is waiting for some
thing to turn up, no fewer than three
great private American agencies are
at work on the problem Of construc-
tive American cooperation in Eu-
ropean rehabilitation. They are:
1. The United States Chamber of
Commerce.
2. The National Civic Federation.
.. The Council of Foreign Relations.
BY the end Of January the activities
OF each OF these organizations in the
direction of concrete action will be
in full swing. They constitute an
amalgamated volume Of public senti-
ment that can hardly be without in
Huence upon the Administrations
foreign policy. They are non-partisan
ana bipartisan in their personnel and
programs. The president Of the
Chamber of Commerce is Julius II.
Barnes, a progressive republican. The
president of the Civic Federation is
Alton B. Parker, one-time Democratic
candidate for President Of the United
States. and the chairman of it's execu-
tive committee is EIihu Root. perhaps
tne most distinguished republican in
the country. The chairman OF the
Council of Foreign Relations is John
w. Davis, democrat. formerly Amer
lean ambassador to Great Britain
All Three TO Act.
All three of the above mentioned
bodies are about to launch activities
designed to bring order out of Euro
pean chaos. The chamber Of COM
merce's foreign affairs committee will
meet IN Washington on January u
TO deal with the reparations question
The chamber is not discouraged by
the courteous rebuff il has suffered
at the hands Of the administration in
respect TO its proposal of a business
men 8 inquiry into the reparatfons
tangle. The chairman of the cham
bers foreign affairs committee is A.
{. Bedford. one Of the Standard oil
Company's foremost executives He
is an avowed advocate of the right"
OF the worlds business men to take
a hand in adjusting the international
economic situation
During its meeting IN Washington
the chamber of commerce committee
men will entertain VI. Albert Thomas
FORMER French minister of munitions
and now in charge Of the labor office
or the league of nations at Geneva
NJ Thomas will detail the reparations
position from the French standpoint
and doubtless reiterate his expressed
view that France is ready TO consider
sympathettcally any definite plan
America has to offer for unraveling
the reparations puzzle. The United
states Chamber of Commerce will
send strong delegati ton to the Rome
conclave Of international chambers
in March. The delegation will adyo-
cate there the scheme recently put
forth by the American chamber in
favor OF world business commission
on reparations.
Noted Wen TO speak.
On January 16 and II the initial
meeting of the National Civic Fedora
tion's committee on foreign relations
and national defense will be held in
Washington. Elihu Root is chair
man of the committee. which includes
100 Of the most distinguished men and
women in the country. The Wash
ington meeting has been called TO !
consider the questions of How far. |
and in what manner should the |
United States participate in interna
tional affairs?" and How far Is it |
wise at this time to reduce our Army |
and Navy" Alton B. Parker will
preside at the meeting and Mr.: Root |
will deliver the opening address. |
Other speakers will be: Robert Lam
sing. John Hays Hammond. oscar