U. S. C. of C.

Each year when the Chamber of Commerce of the United States gathers in annual session (it did so last week and re-elected John W. O'Leary of Chicago president) it passes a set of resolutions directed chiefly at Congress and the Administration.

The leitmotif of this year's set of 28 was, in effect, "Don't pester business. Protect it where necessary."

Every speaker-- Secretary Hoover, Governor Albert C. Ritchie of Maryland, President O'Leary, one of his predecessors, Julius H. Barnes, Director Dr. Julius Klein of the bureau of foreign and domestic commerce -- emphasized self-government in business (see p. 8). That was the main theme. But ever and anon the drum notes of Agriculture beat.

The farmer's situation and his persistent proclaiming of his tribulations constituted a most irritating subject, which was discussed gingerly. However, President O'Leary attacked the problem. His was the calm assurance of authority which gave him respectful hearing last year before the International Chamber of Commerce at Brussels. At that time he soothed the European members, who were excited about the possibilities of not collecting on the Dawes Plan (TIME, July 6, p. 5). This time he summed up his views thus:

"Progress in American agriculture will be achieved through self-government and not, as some would have us believe, through paternal control by the Federal Government."

The Chamber's resolution on the subject was involved, vague, evasive:

"Agriculture is a business and its problems, including production, finance and distribution, are largely business problems by no means easy of solution-- involving as they do, widely different industries and localities. Any help rendered must give due regard to the delicacy, intricacy and wide variation of the issues involved."