The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-10-03
NECESSITY MAKES | AMERICA PRODUCER NATIVE PRODUCTS Some Examples of Industries Eventually to Benefit by
 Wars Requirements EXPORTS ARE SURE
 TO BECOME HEAVY Europe Will Absorb Entire Unprece- dented Wheat Crop at Prices
 Which Are Without
 Parallel
By HOLLAND


 is not the only manufacturer who has found both opportunity and necessity in the present situation for utilizing Amer ican raw material so as to manufacture a marketable and valuable commodity. The report is not exaggerated which describes Edison as having within short time found the way by which carbolc acid can be manufactured at nome.
 The raw material is at hand, and all that was necessary was chemical knowl- edge, patience and industry-qualities which Edison possesses. In this way Americans will probably be able speedily to manufacture dyestuffs which are of vital importance in the textile manurac- turing industry The European war has furnished just the stimulus or emergency which was needed in order to turn the attention of those who are masters of the science of applied chemistry to the manufacture of dyestufrs
 By a happy coincidence, the opening Of the Panama canal to navigation and the exigencies caused by the European war have, made, or will soon make, 1t possible to rely upon American manufac- turers for commodity which Is needed in important manufacturing processes. The manufacturers of American concrete or artificial stone, principally of the kind which Is used for flooring, depended until August 1 upon the German manufacture of a commodity of which magncsite is the fc unds tion. The market price for this commodity averaged $l5 ton. In Cali fornia the best deposits of this material and almost the largest to pc found any where in the world have remained only partially developed for the reason that the high cost of transporting the mineral from the Pacific coast to the east made it possible for the German manufacturers to enter our market and to capture it. But two or three days. after the war began the market quotation for this ar ticle was s70. This price was prohibitive. Instantly American manufacturers took advantage of the opportunity and arc al- ready beginning to manufacture this es- st rtial product. Furthermore, they have learned that the mineral can be transport- ed from the California mines to the Allan tic coast at a cost of only about s4 q ton. this great reduction being made pos sble by the use of the Panama canal. It is presumed, therefore, that within a few months the United States will be manufacturing this important commodity in sufficient amounts and at such reas- onable price as will enable the United States to command the market perma nenty.
 The Discount Market
 If 1t were possible to secure a heavy discount of commercial paper for the prrEose of extending manufacturing op- erations, then in all probability American e tton goods manufacturers-thuse wlto are called the cotton mill men would now be buying heavily of the 1914 cotton crop. Therefore, the resumption of fairly normal financial conditions is likely to open large market in the United States for raw cotton. In that part of the city where cotton interests center, information has come which points to a gradual but steady revival of foreign buying of raw cotton. There was disposition to clap hands and almost to cheer when the an nouncement was made that from Calves ton there were exporsec a few days ago F GOO bales of cotton which will probably be carried through the Panama canal, for Japan has bought this cotton. Little by little there come demands for cotton from Great Britain and no one need be astonshed if before hard frost comes the British mill owners are fonnd to be |, ying in fairly good amounts
 The Promise of Heavy Exports
 Some negotiations now in progress some of which involve very large amounts of commodities and correspond- ingly large sums of money, are, of course, kept as confidential as possible. For in- stance, if France is in the American mar ket for the purpose of buying a large number of army rifles it is especially de- sirable that the matter should be kept secret, for, of course, the French govern ment will be glad if Germany or Austria does not know of such purchases. Orders of this kind when placed will not only revive certain forms of American indus try, particularly those in which iron and steel enter, but will lead speedily to large exports. There has been persistent ru- nor that representatives of Italy who live at one of the fashionable New York hotels are prepared to buy large amount of military equipment especially articles which are serviceable for cavalry and hope to be able to place an order for the immediate purchase of perhaps 6O,0O0 pairs of shoes There seems to be no doubt that Italy is seeking large purchases in the United States, not of food. but of raw equipment, clothing and shoes.
 The rumors are so persistent of the placing of orders in the United States by both France and Russia for motor tricks, as well other supplies for war, that it is incredible that they should be with out any basis. The estimate of the money value of these orders may be nothing more than guessing and the fact that
 
 000. furnishes fairly good proof that these figures are estimates. But there is no doubt that both France and Germany are TOW in the American market with intent to purchase large amounts of supplies, and the suspicion is strong that England is also entering this market possibly by way of Canada. with the same purpose.
 In the Textile Business
 Last spring some of those who are en- gagged in the textile industry spoke with anxiety about the effect of the new tariff law Some of the manufacturers decided to close their plants and to become Amer ican representatives of the German textile manufacturers. The war has changed all this. although the change may be only temporary The textile manufacturers are now getting, it Is understood, large orders, large in the aggregate, although sometimes individual orders are of small moment The textile mills will probably have all they can do before winter sets in to meet the demand for blankets. under wear, heavy socks and flannel. One of the manufactories in the upper part of New York state whose managers were re- | ported in the spring to feel somewhat blue 1 becausesof the effect of the new tariff law | Is likely to run overtime so as to meet | the terms of contract which calls for l a large amount of underwear suitable for tho ,,ua of fba Enuronaau rr1fes in cold