The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1905-03-14
PAGE SEVEN


A New Wow Of the ssAmerican Peril.0
If fear is the true genesis of interna-
t1onal respect, as Germany's great KAT.
ser declared, 1t would seem that our
status as factor in world politics is
| doomed to speedy and radical
change In the eyes of the Germans to-
day. die Wacht am Rhein" against
the American commercial bogyman
mas been a ridiculous precaution, &C.
cording to the latest reports Of the
spies and scouts sent out to look our
forces and armament over. Not that
they were really underhand spies and
informers. those engineers, mechanics,
scientists, educators, merchants and
manufacturers who came to the worlds
fair In throngs and went home to speak
| their pieces In public. Their business
here was to examine the details Of our
commercial, industrial and agricultural
methods and size up for stay at homes
the much talked Of American peril"
Says United States Consul General r.
II. Mason in a report from Berlin:
One can hardly take up a German news
paper without finding a more or less ex-
tended report Of what some one of these
clever observers had found and learned
| in the United States and has related to
his verein or local chamber of commerce,
with his comments and conclusions as to
what 1t all means to Germany.
1t Is quite worthy of note that the gen.
eral tone Of these reports is distinctly re-
| assuring to the hearers before whom they
| have been delivered. While admitting free
ly the boundless resources OF our country,
| the energy, industry and unsurpassed me
chanical skill of the people. the superior
ity of our factory system the speed and
cheapness of rail transportation and the
| restless progressive spirit which is always
| looking for a new and better machine or
method than the one already in use the
| German experts find, or think they have
found, defects In many parts of the Amer
lean system. which unless reformed will
| continue to weaken our country's grasp
| upon international trade and promote the
interests Of competing nations. Without
necessarily concurring in these criticisms.
1t may be Of timely interest to hear and
consider briefly what they are.
Mr.. Mason points out that "a pervad-
| ing indifference and ignorance about
everything outside the United States
| is a serious handicap in the quest of
foreign trade in the opinion Of German
critics. The sending of agents to do
business in countries where they do
not speak the native language these
experts consider an amazing folly. The
high standing and excellence Of half
dozen great technical schools in this
country are conceded by the Germans.
But in spite of these facilities there is
| meagerness of technical education
here for a land numbering S0,OOO,0OO
people whose students are destined for
a useful life.
| The trifling contingent Of technically
educated men in comparison with the
throng Of lawyers, dentists and ply
sicians turned out each year seems to
the Germans shortsighted and IMPROVE
dent, and our commercial education
they look upon as little better than
farce. Says Mr.. Mason:
| Reduced to simplest terms, these in
reliance on q general and more or less
superficial education, together with nat
| ural adaptability. to fit young men for
almost every walk in life and the lack
Of specialized study in physical science.
modern languages and the Industrial arts
| will. II persisted in, neutralize much OF
the advantage which our country enjoys
| through natural resources and advan-
tageous geographical position for tho
South American. Mexican and Astatic
trade.
The consul general closes his report
with a word on the German workmen,
who, it seems, are an important factor
in standing OF the American peril"
These workmen have been taught to
take the American rate OF production
as the standard to work up to and
even surpass. Since the future pros
perity of German manufacturers Will
depend upon their ability to compete
with those of Aperica, the German
workmen Of the better class have come
to the conclusion that their best in
| terest is to be as efficient and prOduc-
tive az possible There Is q new and
a pervading ambition to beat the for
eigner at his own game and with bis
own TOOLS" says Mr.. Mason, adding
that this highly educated, efficient and
ambitious labor costs the German en-
ployer only from one-third to one-half
the wages paid in the United States
and that it is comparatively tractable
and easily managed.
A Philadelphia dump boss is getting
rich on 81 week, free house rent ana
free pickings. The pickings are not