The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is in corporated the West Coast Times. SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 11, 1925.

Hokitika Guardian, 14 November 1925, Page 2

The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is in corporated the West Coast Times. SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 11, 1925.

isrsixK.ss m:a(!l'e of nations. It is generally realized that iuternatiunal relations are no longer the exclusive business of governments and diplomats, and that commerce, having woven a network of trade connectioiiH over the whole world, is now creating through the International Chamber of Commerce, of which Dr Walter Leaf is the President, a body of non-govern-mental machinery to safeguard and defend these relations. The purpose of the Chamber is to develop international trade, to .strengthen the bonds which link the various nations together, to counteract the causes of economic conflict and thereby contribute to the maintenance of peace. In each country the active and associate members form a National Committee in whatever manner is best suited to local conditions. .subject only to one condition: it must he really representative of the principal economic forces of that country. The National Committee answers inquiries made by the Chamber on matters under discussion, calls the attention of the Chamber to obstacles to international trade of which it may have to complain, and exerts its whole influence to give effect to decisions of the Chamber which are always the result of common agreement between all its members. The various countries are represented on the Council of the Chamber in proportion to the importance of their foreign trade. Nations are thus divided into three groups. Those with the most extensive foreign trade, such as Great Britain. Germany. the Til i ted States. Belgium. Italy. Japan, the Netherlands and Switzerland are in the first class and are entitled to send three members and three alternates to the Council. The second class includes such countries as Czecho-Slovakia, Denmark, Norway. Spain, and Sweden, who" are entitled to two members and two alternates. Nations in the third division, such as Austria, Hungary. Indo-Chinn, Luxemburg. Poland and Rotimania each send one member and one alternate. The work done by the Chamber may be divided under two headings. The first includes economic questions of general international interest, and hero the Chamber endeavours to bring about mutual understanding and agree-

moilt. Tims, at Brussels this year, the 753 delegates present, representing thirty-three countries, unanimously passed a resolution expressing tlie considered judgment of the business world on economic restoration, cu the Dawes ■ plan and on the means of transferring from one country to another the very large amounts owing as reparations and inter-Allied debts. The second phase nf tlie Chamber's work includes purely technical questions, such ns the simplification of Customs formalities, the treatment of foreign residents, the uniformity of bills of lading, the abolition of double taxation, unification of laws governing cheques, the protection of industrial property, the extension of the exequatur for the enforcement of foreign judgments, the classification of commercial terms, the improvement- of international transport bv sea, by land and by air, as well as the improvement of international telephone communications. Finally, the Chamber has set up an International Court of Arbitration for business disputes which names arbitrators to settle at minimum oxlionse of time and money business controversies arising between traders of different countries.