The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1914-07-10


man. who furnishes newspapers In THU
country with string Of foreign cor
respondence. discusses in one of his
recent letters the American policy
against trusts as it 10 viewed by the
Germans. Germany has made giant
strides in the last few years in the
world Of trade and the promotion OF
a large business prosperity at home.
and those in this country who would
destroy big business are commended
to a consideration Of the German idea.
as pointed out by Doctor Quandt that
no great project can be undertaken
without intense concentration Of capt.
tai. and that great organizations are
indispensable to International compe-
tition. On this subject Doctor Quandt
writes:
when President Wilson's special
|appointee, Mr.. Ferguson, on his tour
came to Germany at the beginning of
last year, to gather material for Presi-
dent Wilson's antitrust campaign, and
to prepare things for an international
battle against the trusts, he found
great sympathy among the leading
classes lively interest elsewhere. but.
generally speaking, the audiences did
not follow with understanding. No
body who knows the radical difference
OF political and economic structure be-
tween Germany and the United States
can be surprised at this fact. The
trust problem has alwas been regarded
from totally different standpoints in
the two countries.
when Mr.. Ferguson had delivered
his lecture in the Herrenhaus in Ber-
lin, two gentlemen discussed the mat
ter. One Of them just touched the es-
sentials Of the theme. the other show
it, and tins result can only be called
natural, because the trust problem,
especially its social component, Is re-
sarded totally differently by the two
nations, as stated before. The majority
Of the German people does not know
the tendencies and dangers Of Ameri-
can trust organizations. whereas. on
the other side, the Americans cannot
understand the comparative ease with
which Germany watches the develop
ment Of these industrial organizations
Yet the explanation is not far to be
sought. 1t is we'll realized in Germany
that no great project can be under
taken without intense concentration of
capital. and that great organizations
are indispensable to international COM
petition.
Therefore Germans do not hinder
the development of great combina-
tons as long as the welfare Of the ma
ton is not endangered, and the latter
fact is not apprehended because every
body in Germany knows that the CEN
trail government has the power-in
spite of ell concentration Of capital
and the influence of its instruments in
the parliamentary bodies-effectively
to paralyze all dangers and mad con-
sequences Of said concentrations
THE economic and political differ
ence between the two countries also
furnishes an explanation for the Ger
man standpoint in regard to the
American railway policy, which was
lately interpreted by Mr.. Arthur Won
Gwinner, dire ctor Of the German Bank
in Berlin. in the American Luncheon
club here. .le said that the terms Of
to allow of prosperous development
He said they ought not to be or 4
per cent higher than at present, but
IS or 40 per cent. Though the pay Of
in America was twice as
high as in Europe, the freight rate of
the Pennsylvania railroad was only
O.65 cents per ton and mile: Of the
& Ohio railroad 0.65 cents;
and of the Chesapeake & Ohio railroad
only 0.45 cents as against 2.45 cents
on the North Eastern railway in Eng
land; 1.35 cents on the Preussiche
1.13 cents on the Chemin
de Fer du Nord in France. He said
further that railroads were the back
bone of all economic life and Of the
Of a nation. If the United
States did not change their railroad
policy from the bottom, they would
incur an economic catastrophe. This
would also affect Europe, and for this
reason Europe had a great interest in
sound American conditions. Mr.. Won
Gwinner concluded his theme by re-
his hearers that already three
the trusts. Undoubtedly there were
many dangers to be opposed, but it
would be much better to leave things
to the influence of public opinion for
a slow improvement, than to destroy
components of general eco
nomfc welfare by rash means. His
exclusively American
who stand in commercial
relations to Germany-followed his
speech with great interest. Mr.. Won
Gwinner is the head of the greatest
German private bank, and may per-
haps not be- quite impartiaf-but, on
the whole. his statements seem to be
Justified"
CAN POOR MEN BE FARMERS?
In the current issue Of Farm and
Fireside, the national farm paper pub
lished at Springfield, Ohio, David Buff
L.