The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1914-10-24
THE HAsKIN LETTE 2
AMERICAN MACHINERY
az Frederick .. Haskin-

Opinions ventured that the Euro
| pean war would greatly enliven
American business and result in de-
cided enlargement Of our tndustrtal
and commercial welfare. have been
received. in many instances, by big
business leaders naturally, conser-
natives with considerable tolerant
skepticism Among these leaders
some have insisted that the war could
bring US nothing but disaster, that
any enEort to find advantages for our
i selves growing out of Europe,s melee
were misdirected enthustams Ana
/ during the early days Of the war, the
| various commodity markets did go
through many strange, depressing
maneuveTs,
The feeling of crisis quickly passed,
! however. Certain realization follow
cd tilat. While the war might work US
1 less In some directions, there was no
/ reasons Why several European wars
should be able to block our progress
or wreck our prosperity. As one OF
the most highly organized industrial
4 nations. we could satisfy from native
4 sources most every one OF our legitt-
4 mate needs. Foreign markets were
necessary to the prosperity OF but very
4 few of our industries, while IN great
Il
kind of foreign competition In our
\ home markets, which would be remov-
ed, or greatly lessened, by the war:
1t was with these facts In mind, and
/ without consideration OF the possible
\ development of our foreign markets,
/ that many students Of trade condit-
| ions made hopeful predictions during
the first week in August.
The way in which the country re-
i ohR 70
have justified completely, the hopeful
prophets. More, there are beginning
to multiply unmistakable. practical
indications Of an impending, unusual
ly brisk time of foreign business, and
this foreign business must react upon
the fabric Of our whole home COM
merce to result OF general enliven-
ment While there Is temporary DIFF
fculty in financing the cotton crop,
export sales Of wheat and -four from
this years crop thus far are estim-
/ ated at 10000, goo bushels, or nearly
| one-half of the available surplus
/ 900, 00O,U0 bushels, new record sur
plus for export.
Examples u exports beginning to
feel the slim ufus of the great war
might be multiplied through fairly
\ important list, but that 1t is the pres
\ ent purpose to consider the American
machinery market. Leading countries
of the world by magnificent margins
lin the manufacture of machin-
| cry, are the Omitted States, Germany
| and Great Britain. Among themselves
Athey about divide up the honors for
especial excel enctes in the makes Of
| the various machine sorts. In other
words, there are certain types OF ma
chimes which the world must, or pre-
4 fers, to buy from the United 6tates.
while in certain other types the pat
ronage goes to Germany or Great Brit
ain. Rarely is it necessary, however,
Ito go outside OF these three markets
So In the machinery trade the
most important competition Tor the
| worlds n1arkets was among tne man
/ lufacturefs OF the United States, Ger
many, and Great Britain, and both
Germany and Great Britain have been
giving US the hardest kind OF com
| petition. Now, resourceful German
|lcompetitfon has been all but elimin-
[ated. while Eugland's endeayors have
been made more difficult. Germany
has been almost isolated from, foreign
business, and the German government
has issued an edict prohibiting all
shipments OF machine tools ana small
tools from the country, except by spec
4 ial permission. 1t would seem that
+ a great part Of the German trade and
/ some OF the English trade in ma
chimes and machine tools must fan 10
| 1.-THE American manufacture.
Moreover, the warning nations will,
;. themselves, be forced to turn to our
producers to cover an increased need
lin certain lines of machinery. In fact,
| Important war orders already are be-
ginning to be placed. An aggregate
! Of export business which runs up in
to large figures has been placed with
manufacturers in New England and IN
4 the Central West. Engine lathes are
said to predominate In these orders
while grinding machines and auto
automatics are largely called for. The
foreign orders which have been CIV
en- in New England are reported as
enormous, having been large enough
! practically to wipe out the stocks OF
several works in that section which
specialize in the manufacture OF en-
CINE 1athes.
Besides the 1athes, foreign buyers
fare ordering automatic and semi-auto-
matte turning machines and also
milling machines. Manufacturers o.
Woodworking machinery are begin
ming to experience an increasing de-
mand The total orders which haze
been placed In this country by for
! eigners for machinery are reported
to aggregate significant amount
Finally, the greater part OF this bus
mess is said to be cash business. and
SO, should prove doubly stimulating
to the country generally.
4 While still light, the home demand
for machinery is improving. In an
ticipation OF lively lumber demands, {
large number Of shingle mills ant
small sawmills are being built in thu
Pacific northwest. AS further levi
denve of q frightening Of the home