The Washington times., 1915-05-23

mercial agencies of the Government
Would Have Made 100000.
Only Il few days ago a Chicago
business man told a story Of his own
experience that illustrated this atti-
tude. Il have an order of S50.00O
worth of drugs, chemicals, medicines,
and the like" he said, bought and
paid for in Germany. If l could get
the goods into this country I could
easily make $4,000 profits on them.
But I can't get them here; between
the German stringencies about eX-
porting things that they fear may
help enemy countries. and the allies
restrictions against commerce get
ting out Of and into Germany, I have
found 1t useless to push the matter"
slave you taken the matter up
with the Department of Commerce
and the Department of State? he
was asked.
NO" was the reply, because I
know what the delays and expenses
Of that procedure would be. might
get the goods through some day; but
the delays. eXasperations. and ex-
penses would be such that it wouldn' t
be worth while"
made to Government official who
has to do with International com :
mercial relations, and who urged
that the matter be placed in the
hands of the authorities.
Had Money Ready.
The difficulties that can be thrown
in the way Of simple commercial
transactions when both Germany and
England show a disposition to op-
pose them. are illustrated by the case
OF a consignment Of potash which
was destined to an American ferti-
lizer manufacturer. This concern
having been for years in the regular
business Of buying potash from Ger
many, had a large credit with the
Kali Syndicate. which controls the
potash production. and in which the
German government holds a control
There was no question about the
payment for the potash. because tho
money was already in the syndicate's
hands.
The British authorities objected tc
the potash going out, on the ground
that they are trying to prevent com
merce in general with Germany. But
the particular case was so innocent
that after a good deal Of discussion
the British authorities agreed to lei
this ship come out.
Up to this time the Germans seemed
anxious that the deal should be made
But just so soon as they learned that
Britain had given way, Berlin began to
find objections: There must be abso-
Lutte assurance that the potash would
be used only for fertilizer making THIS
assurance was given, together with the
promise that the American Government,
authorities would be responsible for the
execution of the pledge But at this
the Germans wanted inspectors, repre-
senting the American Government. tc
follow the potash to the factories, watch
all the processes, and then certify that
1t has been used, all of 1t, for fertilizer
Inspector for Inspector.
This point was at length arranged
Then 1t occurred to the Germans that
they would like to have an inspector OF
their own to inspect the American Gov
ernment inspector; see that he did his
inspecting correctly-and half his ex
penses to be paid on this side!
That proved the last straw. The
negotiation was dropped, and there Is
no present chance of that potash get
ting to this side TIL after the war. The
German position Is attributed to tbs
fact that potash Is used In making GER
tain explosives, but when this was sug
gested IT was demonstrated, on behalf
of the American side in the discussion
that the grade of potash involved II
this shipment was not available Tor eX
plosives There was no uncertainty
on this point, yet Germany persisted
in a position that at length made the
movement impossible.
Large movements Of oils. dyes, chemi
Gals, drugs. medicines. potash, and Vari
Gus other German specialties are helt
up now by reason of the attitudes o
both Germany and Britain. There ha
seemed to be little choice between tn
two countries, SO far as concerns thei
insistence on unreasonable condition.
for commerce
1t has been an open secret in Wash
ineton for some time that the Depart
ment of Commerce agencies had be
come utterly dssusted with efforts u
straighten out these matters, and negO
tiations through the State Department
had been undertaken in the hope of get
ting adjustments These, in turn. arr