The New York Times/1918/11/11/Turns to Metric System
TURNS TO METRIC SYSTEM
United States Prepares to Use it More in Foreign Trade.
Special to The New York Times.
WASHINGTON, Nov. 10.—The American section of the International High Commission, of which Secretary McAdoo is Chairman, has just adopted a resolution recommending more extensive use of the metric system in the trade and commerce of this country. The commission has regarded this subject as of particular importance in the United States. One of the main obstacles to documentary uniformity as between the United States and Latin America is to be found in the fact that the United States does not make the use of the metric system obligatory, and consequently its Consular documents have to allow the use of that system merely as optional.
Any uniform system of classifying merchandise, however, will require on the part of the United States thoroughgoing and complete adherence to the metric system. Of more importance than statistical and administrative questions is the use of the metric system in trade. Now that the United States is obviously being drawn into closer and more vital commercial relations with the rest of the world, and particularly with Latin America, our manufacturers and exporters will be obliged to meet the demands of their prospective customers in a somewhat more accommodating frame of mind that hitherto. Only the English-speaking nations still have to adopt the metric system of weights and measures, and among them the British Empire.