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Show hi knit Did I Aims of the American Chamber of Commerce for the Levant Are Set Forth. I TO CFEM IP IMMENSE FIELO Constantinople Destined to Become the "Chicago of Europe," Says New President of Organization Opportunity Oppor-tunity for American Capital. Now York. Constantinople Is destined des-tined to become the "Chicago of Europe," according to an interview ituthorlzed by Mr. Lucira Irving Thomas, a director of the Standard Oil company of New York, which company com-pany has extensive interests throughout through-out Asia and the Balkan states. Mr. Thomas lately returned from a visit to Europe. "I learned, while in London, thai I had been elected president of the American chamber of commerce for the Levant," said Mr. Thomas. "I refer to the newly-organ-led American section of the chamber, now maintaining headquarters in New i York. It will co-operate with tlvi long-estubllshed long-estubllshed chamber of the same name which lias its seat In Constantinople. Lion i.'i.ii.iut.' Thy v.;ly ;rt.v-- "I Ala. ill UuiimiJ Is .said it, Iiju,. Il.rnn: ii his liiii.d- at sii - -: -i ion at.-i at.-i h:::;' i I., il wih M.ine bout ;:iat 'i,ir..e 'lni'1 enn. oi i ul ui !n,is m: her hainl-a hainl-a the tiMtm.-i.r. uiihnut eiiroui ,i;iii-these ,i;iii-these liev-!';i:i;:lei lrouhle-r:i i--er--.' Opportunities Are Great. "t'onstaniiriople now has an inadequate inade-quate sysii'iiL to provide subs! ant ia! harbor cral't for use in Hie water around 'mis' ant inople. People living on the oilier side of Hie l'lOsphorus lack sutlicient facilities for coininming to Constantinople. "The development of roadways on the European side of the Bosphorus is another matter for business enterprise. enter-prise. If the P.o.sphorus is not the most beautiful body of water in the world, I should like to know where it is to be found. A proper driveway along the shores of the Bosphorus would rather tax the memory of a world-traveler to recall anything more charming. charm-ing. "Opportunites for housebuilding and other forms of construction are open in the other cities of the Levant as well as- in Constantinople. There Is widespread need for railroad construction construc-tion and rehabilitation; while at the seaports modern docks and wharves and up-to-date freight nandllng equipment equip-ment must be provided. "The Levant should become a growing grow-ing market for American machinery and manufactures of all kinds. Importations Im-portations from the Levant must be stimulated, too, in order to improve the exchange and credit situation so that the Near East can buy more from "The organization of this chamber Is a timely movement to promote reciprocal re-ciprocal trade relations between America Amer-ica and that great area extending from Egypt to Russia, and from Persia Per-sia to Italy of which Constantinople If the center. Gateway to Vast Empires. "Very few people appreciate that Europe and Asia meet at the feet of Constantinople," continued Mr. Thomas. Thom-as. "The chain of waters, the Dardanelles, Dar-danelles, the Sea of Marmora and the BoRphorus, made available for free commerce, open the gateway to vast empires of populous and fertile territories terri-tories beyond. When we reatlze that Russia, a country considerably more than twice as large as the United States, has few seaports that are not Ice-bound for the greater part of the year, except those situated on the Black sea, we may Imagine what enormous traffic will flow through Constantinople Con-stantinople when Russia, with a hundred hun-dred million of her people nearby, gets Into her commercial stride." "Then consider Roumania, now with twice her former area a country of great natural resources, with a present pres-ent population of 15,000,000. Bulgaria too, noted for a sturdy and industrious industri-ous population, has her commercial outlet on the Black sea. And even on the farther side of the Black sea Is a group of states which eventually must occupy an important place In over-seas trade. "Jugo-Slavla, now vast in area by comparison with Old Serbia, with substantial natural resources and a population of over 14,000,000 has, tit course, one trade outlet via the Adriatic, Adri-atic, and another via the Danube to the Black sea. Without any doubt the Danube is soon to play a much more Important part In the trade of the Balkan states than It has ever done in the past. ; Has Natural Wealth. "Both Jugo-Slavia and Greater Greece will hold a more Important position than now in the Levantine America. Tobacco, licorice, valonla. attar of roses, raisins, currants, dates, figs, goatskins, hides, furs, olive oil. long-staple cotton, rugs, carpets, and oriental objets d'art are among the Imports coming Into the United States from the Levant. It will be the aim of the American chamber of commerce for the Levant to help establish trade connections between responsible merchants mer-chants on either side of the ocean, and to furnish all possible information informa-tion and assistance to those engaging in trade In this field." Those in Movement. Officers of the American chamber of commerce for the Levant Include. In addition to Mr. Thomas, president, the following: Chairman of the board. Mr. J. M. Dixon of the Tobacco Products Prod-ucts corporation ; vice president, Captain Cap-tain J. P. Lucey of the Lucey Manufacturing Manu-facturing company; treasurer, Donald Frothingham of the American Express company ; secretary and managing director, di-rector, Dr. E. E. Pratt. Temporary offices have been established estab-lished at 200 West Fifty-sixth street, New York city, but It is expected that after May 15 the chamber will be located lo-cated in the down-town district of New York. Firms represented on the directorate director-ate of the chamber, or as life members, mem-bers, include : American International corporation, E. I. DuPont de Nemours Co., U. S. Rubber Co., Guaranty Trust company of New York, General Motors company, Amory, Browne & Company, Great Lakes Trust company, Commercial Union of America, Lockwood, Greene & Company, Hammond Typewriter company, A. B. Farquhar company, Robert H. Ingersoll & Bro., Robert College, James A. Farrell, U. S. Steel corporation, Phelps-Dodge company, Brown Shoe company, International Western Electric company, H. J. Heinz company. The membership covers a growing list of merchants, shipowners, bankers, manufacturers and other business busi-ness men of the United States. trade of the future. Egypt is growing into a land of commercial significance. While certain territories have been detached from Turkey since the war, there remains much fertile and valuable valu-able land. Turkey is rich in minerals of all kinds. "The war and Its aftermath upset exchange throughout the Near East, and this has made commercial transactions trans-actions difficult for the present. But the natural wealth is there; and a population for the most part industrious. industri-ous. Trade must surely grow. "A high official of an international bank, one who is recognized as having unusually broad and accurate knowledge knowl-edge of Ottoman financial matters, staled to me at Constantinople that in Turkey fully Go,000,000 in gold is hoarded by the people in 'stocking-leg batiks.' and not deposited at all with the public bankers. In this connection connec-tion it should be remembered that the oriental mind is accustomed to think, f.i'ant'ially, in terms of 'hard money,' t: tul that prior to the European war only paid and silver were in circuia-i;n, circuia-i;n, to any extent, in Turkey. There is evidence that great private wealth exists there today, in gold, silver and j -wels, not to mention other valuables, and this wealth will come into the Mrrent market as trade returns to normal. "The Levant offers a splendid opportunity op-portunity for the Investment' of American Amer-ican capital, in a wide range of enterprises. en-terprises. One of the great openings of the present is for the construction of dwellings, warehouses, harbor improvements, im-provements, and so forth. Constantinople Constanti-nople alone has lost 25,000 to 30,000 houses by fire since the war began, and affords a magnificent opportunity for housebuilding activity. I know for a fact that the Turkish authorities would welcome anyone coming there for the purpose and that they would even he glad to offer concessions. The prevailing spirit is progressive. Modern Mod-ern Industrial equipment, too, Is now nought where formerly it was fihunned. I recall that a long time ago, irlor to the coming Into power of the Young Turk party, a business cablegram was Intercepted by the Turkish authorities because It contained con-tained uu offer to Import some electric elec-tric dynamos capuble of '1,000 revolu- |