The Detroit times., 1910-01-25
GERMANY EXPECTS
-FOUR TRADE WARS
Kostihties Impending With France,
Canada, and Portugal, as Well
as United States,

BERLIN. Jan. 25-Germany's plan
OF campaign in the approaching tar II
host.ilties with the United states was
thoroughly considered Monday ri a
conference between the Imperial Ad
yisory Board OF Commercial Measures
and the representatives OF the GOV
ernment The board consists OF emin
eut captains OF industry. commerce.
finance, and agriculture. and on the
counsel the government receives
from these practical experts It's pro
cedure with America will largely de-
pend
In addition TO the difficulties with
/ the United States the board has been
called upon TO advise the government
with regard 10 impending tarin trouble
with France. Commercial relations
with Portugal and Canada are also IN
a desperate condition. so that the
fatherland finds itself confronted by
the possibility OF wasing fiscal war
fare on four different and far-hung
fronts
II Is the situation with America
however. which causes the Kaiser
government the Gravest concern. Inc
utmost pessimiSm prevails in ohclal
quarters over the perilous status into
which Count Bernstorff's negotiations
with the state department have drlH-
ed. The Berlin authorities regard the
washington negotiations as wreck'u
and realize that the hour has arrived
for decisive action in one direction OF
another.
The final blow to German hopes OF
an American backdown on the meat
question was contained In Preslueh'
Taft's proclamation announcing tha'
six certain European countries were
entitled to American s. minimum rates
because their own tariffs did not tend
10 discriminate against American
wares Germany. along with France ana
Austria-Hungary, was conspicuous!y
missing from this white list.
Little Hope of Peace.
Then Wilhelmstrasse knew the END
had come Nothing now remains Tor
Germany TO do under It's laws out 20
allow its maximum rates against
American imports 10 go automaucai
~ into effect on Feb s. II in the re-
I 4
mote contingency that satisfactory as
surances arrive from Washington III
: the meantime that our own maximum
tariff will not be enforced against
( germany on April !. this government
would probably ask the Reichstag 10
allow Feb. S 10 pass without turning
ON the lighting tariff. The Kaiser 3
government. however, has quit reckon
the ON an American surrender and
unless the wholly unexpected nap
mems. hostilities will open puhctuAll!
after midnight on Feb. ..
/ Americas stubborn insistence on n
repeal OF Germanys meat exclusion
laws has taken the Berlin govern.
ment thoroughly by surprise ~ was
not believed here that washington
would espouse the cause OF the PACK,
inc trust at the expense OF universal
tariff war with Germany ana az Tue
/ risk OF making the already uhpopu-
lar Aldrich- Payne law still more an
evesOre 10 the American people. aver
America has had few weeks TASTE
of Germany's retaliatorv tarln' hopes
are cherished here that the locai
American factors above mentioned
will eventually force Messrs Tart ana
Knox 10 yield and TO conclude peace
With Germany on the basis or a WIN
drawal of their demand for a repeaI
OF the meat laws.
DisInterested observers CONSIDER
this attitude on the part of our Ger
man friends rs an astute diplomatic
bluT They are compelled 10 put II
nm nv the Agrarian party which rules
In Prussia and IN Germany at the
nresent moment This gentry. when
represents exactly % per cent. OF the
present.day population OF the father
land as against - per cent. engaged
in or dependent on industrial pur-
suits has not the slightest com
junction about plunging Germany In
10 the unknown abyss OF tarin war
with America.
Land Barons Rule Government.
The government FUZZY realizes the
foolhardiness of risking such a strug
gle for the sake OF keeping S6,0OO,OOO,'
or $4,000 600 worth Of American pack
ing products out of the German
market. but as the government is
tied hand and foot TO the Agrarian
chariot and cannot secure single
gun for a single battleship without
the sanction Of the Agrarian autoc-
racy. it has no alternative but to play
the land barons game to the bitter
end.
Tariff relations with France arc
causing the German government
anxiety second only to that II reels
over the American situation. The
new French tariff deals destructive
blow al millions Of marks worth OF
German exports, especially toys.
chemicals, pianos, and metal ware
German representations In Paris nave
so far been without effect, and the
fiscal hostilities with the United
States are altogether likely TO com
eide with bitter trouble with the
ancient rival across the Rhine.
SENTENCE is DEFERRED.