Evening star., 1925-05-20
AMERICAN BUSINESS is TOLD
ITS OBLIGATION TO COUNTRY
Nations Leaders in Commerce and Industry Gather
Here for 18th annual Convention of u. S. Cham
Der of Conmerce-5OO at Opening.
Continued from First Page.)

based chiefly upon their belief that
to restrict publicity in the commits
sion's procedure would lead to ''star
chamber" proceedings and would give
protection to dishonest business at the
expense of those who wished to deal
fairly with their competitors.
Commissioner Humphrey declared
the majority of the commission be-
neVed the former practice Of publish
ing charges against respondents after
preliminary investigation to be unjust
TO the respondent, reflection on the
commission and 'insidiously danger
ous' to the public.
The new policy of settling cases by
stipulation, he said, not only accom-.
plished the ultimate object of the COM
mission of protecting the public
against law violations, but saves time
ana expense to the Government of
taking the cases to trial.
Seventeen Directors Nominated.
seventeen directors of the national
chamber, nine for chambers Of COM
merce and eight for the trade asso.
cations were nominated today.
Ihose for the chambers were: STAN
ley ii. Billiard, Bridgeport, Conn;
Phlfp IL. Gadsden. Philadelphia; John
W. Arlington. Greenville, s. c.; Frank
hell, Wichita Falls. Tex; j. G.. Leigh
Little Rock, Ark: Max W. Rabb. Mil
waukee, Wis: Edwin T. Meredith,
les Moines, Iowa; Dwight B. Heard,
Phoenix, Ariz.. and Everett G. Griecs
Tacoma, Wash.
Those nominated for their respec-
i've trade associations were: For civic
development. Charles w. Lonsdale.
Kansas City. Mo-; for domestic dis
trioutlon. James P. Orr, Cincinnati,
ONO; for manufacture fabricated pro-
ouctlon), A. j. Brosseau. New York;
Ior hnance, John G.. Lonsdale, ST.
Louis, Mo-; for foreign commerce,
faul Shoup. San Francisco; for in
surance, Harry A. Smith, Hartford,
Conn; for natural resources produc.
ton, Milton f. Marcuse, Richmond.
Va, and for tralsportations and com.
municatton, A. L. Humphrey, Pitts.
burgh.
Civic Development.
AT the luncheon of the civic de.
velopment group at the New Willard.
DR.. John NJ. Cries, chief of the hous
ing division of the Department of
commerce, told of the cooperative or
ganization among the builders of the
Nation by which they are avoid
ins 1urther Government regulation
through wise selfgovernment
Inc Building Congress. DIR. Cries
sald. is attempting to bring about
harmony between different groups In
the industry, many of whom, in the
past, have carried on an inconclusive
guerrllla warfare with each other, add
ing to the cost and detracting from
the efficiency of production.
among the problems to solve, he
SAID, are apprenticeship training.
standardization of building practice
ana planning. the building program
50 tnat there viii be less drastic sea-
sonal slumps.
Morris Knowles, Pittsburgh city
planning expert. predicted a drop in
rents throughout the country.
These still are relatively higher
than the cost of living" he said. "but
the tension in the demand for houses
SHOWS signs of relaxation. Rents last
March stood at 50 per cent above the
pre-war level. while the total living
costs retained an advance of GO neT
cent. There still is a greater demand
Tor houses than the available supply
Competition Needed.
The only reasonable assurance of
fair treatment between tenant or
householder lies in the freedom to ne
gotiate with his landlord or owner.
This means a choice between one
mouse or another. The competition be-
tween landlords will assure fair treat
ment. This is better than any kind of
legislation which can be devised, A
busines which is as free from danger
or monopoly as home building should
be left to private ingenuity and enter
prise
He said that the policy of trade
union1sm is to discourage home own
ership, because 1t places the worker
at disadvantage in moving from Job
to job quickly. In Philadelphia, how
ever, the unions are now building
homes for the members, he said.
Regular and uniform saving" he
said, rs probably the only way that
the ordinary workman can accomplish
much in putting aside money for home
ownership. American experience
shows that most of the saving by
workmen is done under pressure. The
purchase of home on the fnstallment
plan is one of the greatest incentives
to thrift and gives the head of the
family sense of social and civic re-
SponSibility."
Thomas Adams. director of plans
and surveys for New York City and
environs, told this group of the
economic use of land in urban en-
vironments and how 1t could be in
creased.
Federal Reserve Discussed.
The record of the Federal Reserve
system during three years came in for
discussion at the luncheon meeting of
the finance group at the Chamber of
Commerce Building.
Pierre Jay. chairman of the Federal
Reserve Bank of New York, said that
the policy always had been to accom-
modate business rather than to realize
a profit. The constant inflow of gold
into the United States still maintains
which credit decisions are difficult to
make.
THE British decision to return to a
free gold market" he said, lis mo-
mentous for the entire world. It
points clearly to the gradual general
resumption of the gold standard.
Failure to have taken that policy
would have pointed to a possibility
even Of abandoning the gold standard
itself. We welcomed an opportunity
to assist the Bank of England in TAX
ing this step and placed $500, 900
gold at it's disposal for two years, If
so desired"
George A. Ranney, vice president
of the international Harvester Co. of
Chicago, said that the outstanding ac-
complishment of the system was the
feeling of confidence it has inspired
among business men and the insur-
ance it offered against such a panic
as that of 1907. He urged that in any
changes in the system care be taken
to make its advantages as available
for little as for big business, and en-
nhasized the necessity of basing ap-
pointments in the administrative sys-
tenn purely on merit. He said that
the same requirements for fitness
should be demanded as In appoint