Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-09-20
PIPER WRITES OF THE GERMAN PEOPLE AND THEIR FLOATING TRADE

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so effectually as that for cotton. Pc
troleum is shut Off and an interesting
question will arise when Germany
energies from the war whether the
plan 10 drive out the Standard will be
persisted In.
Tho extent to which the United
States may succeed in making for it.
self articles now imported from Ger
many Is a problem. Something may
be done In toys. but the handmade toys
of the Hartz mountains can only be
made by the Hartz villagers. 1t would
seem that by this time cotton mills
in the United States ought to be able
to supply some Of the fabrics hereto
fore furnished by Germany. The same
observation applies to enameled iron
ware and fine cutlery.
The real loss to Germany, of which
advantage may be taken. is in her
trade with the neutral markets of the
world. and possibly from the loss OF
knows how the war will leave German
East Africa and Southwest Africa on
the map.
The foreign trade Of the German coll
hardly be now considered a colonial
possession. approximates s60,0o0,000
annually. A big question will be what
country shall have the diamond
Germany has held the trade of her
colonies under a close bureaucracy,
which gave little opportunity for out
eiders. Yet Germans have always
ish colonies. and it is not Improbable
that a change of flags would still
leave the bulk of the trade in the
hands of the. Germans
Tn roxyfn ut ole
the trade of Germany with South
America, and there is little to add.
England herself wants the bulk of that
$175.000.o00 which South America Inn
States is in a far better position to OBJ
tain whatever percentage ultimately
may be obtained.
In the orient, where the German COM
merce is valuable. the United States is
in not quite SO favorable a position,
but with German commerce entirely
demoralized. and with the Panama
canal shortening some of the trad,
routes to the orient, the United States
should make gain.
In the discussion of what is to be-
come of Germany's world trade it
should not be overlooked how thor
ougly and systematically that com
merce has been built up, and is. there
fore, In a position to stand a tempo
rary shock.
Knowledge of the language of
country is mere incident to the Ger
man commercial traveller and to the
German merchant and manufacturers
agent. The Germans do not stop at this
They also learn the language of their
chief competitor, and since English Is
becoming more and more the language
OF world commerce they learn that as
a weapon of business.
There is not fv
Germany that does not have, or until
the war broke out did not have, its
English-speaking clubs. At Cologne
one evening I went by invitation to
one of these clubs. The members were
all business men. Some of them had
learned English, or the beginnings of
English, during brief trips to England.
Others had learned the language while
In British possessions.
one aggressive young German, who
had acquired Arabic while in Egypt,
also mad learned English, and to per-
rect himself had taken an English wife
All these German business men. manu-
lecturers and exporters, looked upon
the knowledge of English as essential
10 their trade, and they practiced it as
matter of course.
American manufacturers will feel
some relief II the temporary exclusion
OF German products from neutral mar
kets puts permanent check on the
manufacture of cheap imitation goods,
in which Germany excels This does
not relate to the MADE in Germany"
articles which used to make English
men rabid.
The cheap imitation goods, as a rule.
are not labeled with anything resem-
bling Germany. More frequently they
have. American and English names
Germans are not the only sinners in
this kind of business, but they have
gotne into it more systematically than
any of their competitors The cheap
ness Is justified as a principle of trade
that II people want cheap articles they
are entitled to have what they want
But when cheapness is made to cover
imitation of standard articles of good
quality there is no such justification.
so Americans engaged in foreign trade
Will welcome any effect the war may
have In permanently destroying the
German market for cheap imitation
goods.
This is one of the minor aspects of
the whole question of Germany's world
trade as affected by the war. The more
Immediate question relates to the
paralysis of her world feet Out of
that, the United States, without shar-
Ing the exultation of any of the beiliger-
ents at the deplorable situation of the
German merchant marine, and without
rejoicing in the industrial and COM
mercial misfortune of the German peo-
pie. may reap the legitimate adyantaees
OF a neutral nation