ST. LOUIS, Dec. 22---With eight hundred delegates representing all sections

of the United States and all interested in the extension of American trade

to foreign countries, particularly South America and the West Indies in

attendance, the St. Louis Foreign Trade Convention designed to boom South

American trade was called to order here today.

Recognition of the European war at a barrier to commercial intercourse was

made when the delegates confined their attention almost wholly to the

countries beyond the Gulf of Mexico. Middle-western commercial houses and

organizations which recently held a convention in Memphis to discuss means

of utilizing the Mississippi as an artery of commerce to the southern

nations were represented.

The convention is being held under the auspices of the National Foreign

Trade Council of which James A. Farrell, president of the United States

Steel Corporation, is president. The plan and scope committee of the

convention includes Sam D. Capen of St. Louis; E. A. S. Clarke, president of

the Lackawanna Steel Company of New York; P. A. S. Franklin, president of

the International Mercantile Marine, New York; Fairfax Harrison, president

Southern Railroad, Washington, D C, and John D. Ryan, president Algamated

[sic] Copper company,New York. The convention will be in session two days.