The Committee appointed by the Executive Council to examine the report of the Paris Italian Chamber of Commerce regarding the official recognition of the Italian Chambers of Commerce in foreign countries, proposed an answer as follows:

The Italian Chamber of Commerce of Chicago fully agrees with the proposal of the sister Chamber of Commerce of Paris in asking for a substantial subsidy from the Italian Government, given to the Italian Chambers of Commerce in foreign countries as it is now given even during this critical period.

This Chamber, however, can not approve a few of the considerations made by the Chamber, in askingfor the official recognition of the Chambers in question, because such considerations may be justified for Italians residing in other foreign countries, but not for those residing in the United States.

For instance, it does not believe that it is its duty to assist or discourage assimilation with the native element. This assimilation, however, assures our immigrants the protection and development of their commercial initiatives and consequently works indirectly in favor of our brothers living in the mother country.

We do not think that official recognition of the Chamber by the Italian Government will tend to restrain the members from changing their national allegiance.

In such questions, this Chamber is absolutely neutral, according full liberty to every person to act in accordance with his feeling, conscience and interests. It is immaterial to us if the members of the Executive Council of this Chamber, for personal reasons, have acquired American citizenship.

Our activities are concerned exclusively with the commercial field and are for the equal benefit and profit of the mother country, the Italian colonies and this country, and not in the political field in which this Chamber is entirely neutral.

Our purpose is to facilitate and increase the exchange of merchandise between the two nations, and to strengthen the ties of friendship.

The report of which we talk, states that official recognition of the Italian Chamber of Commerce in foreign countries by the Italian Government would have "that protection of its interests which today it books for from the Government of the country in which it operates."

We state instead that our institution, even though not officially recognized, is already giving through to Agricultural and Commercial Information Sections, valid and useful assistance to all countrymen who ask for help and advice. We also agree with Mr. Massuero, first secretary of the Ministry of Colonies, who said that a Chamber of Commerce can not be a Government office and can not usurp the functions of the Consuls and Ambassadors.

The official recognition of the Italian Chamber of Commerce in foreign countries should be made through a legislative measure not depriving them of their freedom of action.

Certainly we can't deny that recognition would give this Chamber more prestige, but Government interference should not restrain its activities to the point of handicapping the work of the Chamber.

It is necessary also to state that the usefulness of an institution which operates in Chicago must be based on the number, quality, and initiative of the members and, as the Paris Chamber stated, although it is usual for the Latin to recognize the authority of his home Government, however, we do not lack that spirit of independence which prefers personal initiative. If freedom of action is restrained or reduced, it would easily reduce also the numerical and constructive power of our Chamber and its usefulness.

For these reasons, the Italian Chamber of Commerce of Chicago can not adhere to the proposal contained in the report of the Chamber of Commerce of Paris, in regard to the official recognition of the Italian Chamber of Commerce in foreign countries.