The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1912-09-08
Germany Assumes the Task
Of Being Mistress of Trade
German Market for Germans" Is the Trade Slogan of the
Entire Empre-To Get Business of World Preferential
Rates Are Granted by Government -owned Railroads.

proposals upon tariff and trade treaties
Is the German product discriminate
against in the markets of some foreign
land? The German chambers of com
merce take the matter up and deman'
retaliatory measures OF the government
which the latter is. in most cases, onl!
too willing to give.
| As an example Of the well-organizeC
efforts of which Germans are capable in
behalf of their trade. the potash contro
Nersy between the United States and
Germany may be taken When David
Jayne Hill. then Ambassador at Berlin
| took the potash contracts up with the
German Foreign Office. he found that he
had to contend with opposition organ
lied throughout the empire. All branches
| OF German industry and commerce stood
| together. and enough public sentiment
was engendered to insure the stand
which was taken and kept by the inn
perial government. This question was
brought closer to everybody's attention
there than it was in the United States.
The Pan-Germanists took care of that.
manufacturers associations and the
Pan-German press also performed its
part of creating public sentiment against
the American cause. which, though
fully justified. our diplomacy was not
able to force the observance of contracts
made in good faith.
Inspired by America
German commerce and Industry took
its inspiration from America in the first
Instance. though it had its foundation in
the formation of the empire in 1871. Ger
mans who had emigrated to America re-
turned to their fathrrland with modest
fortunes amassed in the United States.
Germans. especially before the war with
France. were an ultra peo-
PIE. and boarded th-ir little savings gen.
orally il cid stockings instead Of put
ting their money into commercial and in
GuStrial ventures. and by turning II over
many times make it pay them returns in
profit and interest. This withdrew a
great deal of money away from the
marts OF trad and discouraged the pro-
motion of industries.
1t therefore caused Y" little stir
among the people when their prosperous
Countryrren returned from over the
water ard instead of settling down TO
live comfortably upon their little farms.
PUT the fruits of their labors to work.
and started TO develop pretentious indus
tries. They noticed that money is the
best thing to earn more money with. and
before long the Germans had learned the
lesson Of putting their money I" work.
With the founding of the empire. Ger
many gained the self-ConfidenCe neCes-
sary 10 produce a great commercial ma
ti"n. Not only this. she had gained the
reedful prestige in the eyes of the world
to insure a fair treatment for her mer-
chants and tn" respectful heed of other
making them wary OF German
measures Of retaliation. The empire
{ commanded the attention and offered the
guarantee to German enterprise which
had heretofore been lacking
National Self-cOnfidence.
With this guarantee, and with the ma
tional self-confidenCe. the germs OF the
modern German industry sprang into ex- !
istence about forty years ago. Naturally |
A thorough and systematic people. tn 81
trade was fosteTed slowly at first. but |
steadily. step by step. it grew until !
from all the bonds of tradition |
German commerce and German industry
swept rapidly along until It was strug-
Cling neck and neck with the lead .ng !
commercial countries OF the world. Iii
found itself lighting for supremacy. |
where hitherto the German lack of en-
terprise was a proverb among nations.
a taste OF their powers intoxicated theI
nation with commercial pride and am
bition. just as their success in arms in
tONiCated their martial pride and amb- |
on The German Empire has two we'll |