Evening star., 1915-12-18
.SAYSU.S. W|LLFACE
INDUSTRIAL CRISIS
DR.. {. E. Pratt Anticipates
Commercial Struggle Follow
ing the European War.

Preparations for the great industrial
struggle between the nations of the
world following the ending of the Eu-
ropean conflict must be made by the
United States. said DR.. E. E. Pratt.
chief OF the bureau of foreign and do
mestic commerce, here last night be-
fore the Southern Commercial Con-
gress.
The manufacturers of the country. he
said. must realize that the business
which they now receive from abroad.
in SO far assit depends upon the bel
ligerent activities of the European
nations. is purely temporary business.
I'VE must utilize more of our own
raw materials" he said. I'VE must
send less cotton abroad to be manu-
factured. We must send less wheat
abroad and more -four. We must send
abroad less of the raw materials and
more of the finished manufactured
production. We must make our plants
more efficient, SO that we may compete
more effectively with our European n
competitors in our own markets. We
must educate our workers to higher
standards of technical skill. We must
make our whole industrial organization
more efficient and more economical"
What the War Has Shown.
The war having shown US that our
domestic prosperity is vitality linked
up with the prosperity of our foreign
trade, he said. we must prepare, there
fore, ito get foreign trade, and we
must prepare to meet the severe Euro
pean competition which is certain to
come. Our ability to meet that com
petition will depend on the effective
ness Of our commercial preparedness.
After outlining the details of the
commercial preparedness program. such
as educating young men for the for
eign trade, preparations to finance
the foreign business and negotiation OF
commercial treaties, he said: I'VE must
make more efficient and more extensive
our government service in building up
foreign trade. We must have a larger
service of commercial attaches assist
ing our business men in various parts
of the world. We must make more
careful studies of foreign markets for
American manufactured goods and Tor
American raw materials.
I'VE must distribute the Information
which is gathered together more ef-
fectively in the United States. and we
must educate the producer, the manu-
facturer and the merchant and keep
him informed of every development
which takes place abroad which is like
ly to affect our commercial interests.
Preparedness for Peace"
1.-The duty of commercial prepared
| ness-preparedness for peace-is one
which every citizen shares with his
government. 1t is the farmer, the man
ufacturer, the merchant and the labor
er who must be prepared to take each
his share in the economic struggle
which seems imminent. Commerce and
trade are largely the result of indi-
vidual effort and initiative. Govern
ment can only assist, draw up the rules
and conditions and sometimes blaze the
trail. Z.
"The United States stands on the
threshold of a new era. Our country
stages, first few trading outposts
| then a pastoral and agricultural period
and more recently industry has devel-
oped, and now the opportunity to enter
on a period of world commerce Shall
we prepare to enter this new and
larger field?"
Senator Lewis Answers Mr.. Bryan.
The congress adjourned it's seventh
annual session last night after listen
ing to an address by Senator James
Hamilton Lewis of Illinois, in which he
replied to former Secretary of State
Bryans stand on the question Of ma
tional defense" Senator Lewis de-
clared "the country calls on Mr.. Bryan
in this hour not only for the preaching
of great preacher, but for the teach
ing of practical American wisdom" The
senator said he had intended speaking
on agricultural questions. but that
Citizens of Charleston" had requested
him to reply to the speech Mr.. Bryan
made Thursday night, in which he
argued against an increased army and
navy.
Others Heard at Closing Session.
There were other speakers at the
closing session. Secretary of Labor
Wilson urged a larger agricultural i'm
migration for the south and advocated
a plan for taxation of immigrants to
enable the government to place home
less men" on unoccupied land. Robert
v Van Cortlandt of New York, John
McElroy of Washington, editor of the
National Tribune, and H. S. Gilbertson,
New York, executive secretary of the
National Short Ballot Association, also
spoke.
Subjects lndorsed by the congress
were:
Inland waterways, national and state
aid for better highways. efforts of the
American Bar. Association to modern
ize" procedure and practice of courts;
organization of a semi official national
chamber of agriculture" as proposed
by delegates to the association of
southern agricultural commissioners
which met here with the congress, ef
forts being made by various organiza-
tions to pass laws for establishment of
co-operat tive marketing, purchasing
and credits societies for the benefit OF
American farmers.
WHEN POLICEMEN ARE NEEDED
More Republicans in Congress, So
C;v<a., Ava Ra$o;uad