Part 8

Undoubtedly in the coming years France will make extraordinary strides in industrial progress. She is planning--indeed has already under way, many projects of manufacture, transportation, housing, labor-conservation and municipal life; projects of deep interest and importance to every American business man and citizen. It may be our special privilege to be taken behind the scenes of this tremendous expansion, see some of the beginnings and, if we are fortunate, to make such contribution as France may desire from the good will, experience and certain peculiar knowledge we can offer for her use in any way that may enable her to attain the end she seeks.

In this commission we represent something more than a body of men who have been selected because of special distinction in fields of their own. Each commissioner touches large circles of interest and capacity. If the opportunity comes to us to indicate to French business up-builders how to come into sympathetic working relations with the enterprise and progressive affairs of our own country, we shall achieve the high purpose of our Commission.

(Signed) W. W. NICHOLS,

Chairman of the Commission.

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Before leaving New York a handsome booklet had been prepared and printed. The brochure contained the names of the commissioners, their public records, halftone portraits and a carefully prepared statement of the objects of the expedition. Twenty-five hundred copies were printed and were to be delivered on board the Lafayette by the printer. After sailing, it was discovered by a thorough search that the much needed booklets were not on board. These documents were for distribution after our arrival in France and were sorely missed.

Subsequently the booklet was produced in Paris, but in somewhat different form, and it was near the end of the journey before the duplicate copies were ready for distribution. The loss of the American made edition was a serious handicap.

A word or two about the personnel of the Commission. Mr. Nichols, the chairman, is a man about sixty with a grave, clerical appearance, formerly a professor or teacher and at one time superintendent of the Chicago Telephone Company. A man of various business experiences, at present connected with the Allis Chalmers Company in its New York office. He is excessively cautious and delivered a daily lecture on neutrality, fearing evidently that some of the members might break away from his idea of being strictly neutral and thus thwart or defeat the objects of the Commission. Mr. Nichols is thoroughly honest and conscientious; he had the success of the venture very much at heart and labored from his viewpoint to that end, priding himself in his broken French.

Mr. John R. MacArthur was a member of the Philippine Commission, is a fine French scholar, a ready conversationalist in both English and French, and has a keen sense of humor. He was a constant help to the non-French speaking members of the Commission.

Dr. Mailloux is an electrical engineer of established reputation and large experience. He had been in previous commissions to all parts of the world; a thorough French scholar, he had lived many years in France and had done much work for the French Government. His knowledge of the French people was invaluable to some of his fellow commissioners but was not utilized to its full extent.

Mr. Edward A. Warren, of Boston, represented the textile industry and is well posted in that line. He was the modest man of the commission, rarely asserting himself and deferring too much to the views of his companions. He is possessed of rare good common sense, but, as stated, kept himself too much in the background, thereby lessening his influence in the work of the commission.

Mr. James A. Sague, at one time vice-president of The American Locomotive Company; is a technically educated man, genial and companionable, and was a useful personage on the commission.

Mr. A. B. Farquhar, is a real veteran of the Civil War, nearly eighty years of age but possessing remarkable physical vigor. He was the friend of Lincoln, heard the Gettysburg address delivered, saved his town (York, Pennsylvania) from destruction by the Confederates, and had much to do with the reconstruction period after the War. He labored under the difficulty of defective eyesight, this somewhat impairing his usefulness on the Commission.

Mr. N. B. Hoggson, a gentleman of infinite jest, genial and persuasive; a great mixer and constant worker, proved a very useful member of the commission in diving after facts and making notes thereof.

Mr. Geo. B. Ford, a well known architect of the firm of Geo. B. Post & Company, New York, was a rather quiet undemonstrative member, but a worker and investigator in his particular line. His observations and recommendations should have great weight in the work reconstructing and rebuilding the destroyed portions of France.

Mr. F. J. LeMaistre, a chemical engineer, quite scientific; not particularly unselfish in his dealings with his fellow commissioners, was nevertheless a useful member of the commission, contributing much to its success. He is connected with the duPont Powder Company in an important capacity. His chemical knowledge came into good play in the journeyings of the Commission.

Mr. C. G. Pfeiffer was, physically, the giant of the Commission. An exporter and importer, a splendid French scholar, utilized on all occasions when a knowledge of French was needed; a hard, conscientious worker, quite close to the chairman and of decided use to the head of the Commission from start to finish--he frequently steered the ship from shallow shoals and dangerous rapids.

Mr. E. V. Douglass, the efficient secretary of the Commission, is entitled to much commendation. His work was heavy and unending. To look after a body of men, many of whom he had never previously met; to deal with their idiosyncrasies and at times somewhat unreasonable demands, and come through with success, was no mean task. Mr. Douglass lived in France and had a wide acquaintance. His knowledge of the French language was of very great service. I think all members of the Commission will unite in saying; "Well done good and faithful servant."

Mr. Emile Garden, the French secretary of the Commission, was very helpful to Mr. Douglass as well as to the chairman.

Mr. Harrison Reeves, a well known writer and newspaper correspondent, had special charge of the publicity work of the Commission and was present and took part in all the meetings of the Commissioners, a trusted attache of the enterprise.

Monsieur Henri Pierre Roche, a French soldier, on leave of absence, one of the editors of the Paris Temps, was also a valuable attache. He accompanied the commission on its travels and returned with the commissioners to America for the express purpose of translating into French, for final distribution in France, the report of the Commission.

Our first news from home came by wireless on Tuesday, August 29th. It disclosed that Germany was reaching out for Rumania. We also got more or less news about the railroad troubles.

At one of our meetings Mr. Nichols presented a letter which Governor Herrick had written to him and which proved to be quite useful. We found, wherever we travelled abroad, that the name of Governor Herrick was a household word. This letter is reproduced as follows:--

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August 24th, 1916.

Mr. W. W. Nichols, The American Manufacturers' Export Association, 50 Church St., New York, N. Y.

My dear Mr. Nichols:--

It gives me great pleasure to take advantage of your kind invitation to send by the American Industrial Commission of the American Manufacturers' Export Association, a message to Industrial France.