New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-06-18
CANADA'S SHARE
OF WAR ORDERS
UNDULY LIMITED
Complaints in House of
Commons Elicit Reply
from Lloyd George.
BUSINESS MAN
TO BE SENT TO u. S
Indications Are That Sir T.
Shaughnessy Will Discuss
Question of Munitions.

London, June IT. David Lloyd
George, Minister of Munitions. is ar
ranging TO send a prominent business
man TO America 10 discuss the whole
question of American and Canadian
contracts for war munitions. The Mia
Ister of Munitions made an announce.
ment to this effect m the House Of
Commons this afternoon in reply 20
criticism that Canadian manufacturers
were required TO deal with the ina.
perial government through the house
Of j. +. Morgan & Co.
Ronald Mcneil, Unionist member for
the ST. Augustine division of Kent.
who raised the question, intimated that
some Canadian firms refused TO trans
act business through the agency in the
United States, and he asked whether
Mr.. Lloyd George intended TO adhere to
condition which is resented by
manufacturers Of British nationality
and which hampers and limits the sup
ply of munitions of war"
Morgan Field Limited.
The Minister of Munitions informed
Mr.. Mcneil that the agency of J. p.
Morgan q Co. extended only to orders
executed in the United States. Orders
for the manufacture of certain classes
Of munitions in Canada were placed
through a committee Of Canadian
manufacturers organized by the Cana
dian government. Regarding a Cana
dian firm having refused TO transact
business through the Morgan firm Mr..
Lloyd George said:
This appears to refer to a proposal
made TO Canadian manufacturer
whose firm was supplying munitions
under orders of the above committee
to organize a group Of American firms
for the production of shells in the
Unitei States. This manufacturer de-
clined TO negotiate through j. P. Nor
gan g. Co., and, in view Of the risk OF
interference with contracts already
placed, the War Office considered it to
be unwise to adopt this plan, except
with the cooperation of Messrs. Nor
gan e. Co. | see no reason to dissent
from that view"
THE Globe" says it understands that
Sir Thomas Shaughnessy, president of
the Canadian Pacific Railway Company,
has consented, at the request of the
imperial government, to take up re-
sponsible position in connection with
the purchase Of munitions from Can
ada.
Business Man Chosen.
"The Globe" connects Sir Thomas
Shaughnessy with David Lloyd Georges
announcement in the House of Com
mons this afternoon, that he was send
ing a business man TO the United
States and Canada to deal with this
question.
Sir Thomas, according to a report
printed a few weeks ago, had been
summoned TO England by the British
government to arrange taking over all
purchases in America of war supplies
for the British army.
In an interview Sir Thomas Shaugh-
messy denied that he had been offered
officially a position by the British War
Office as a contractor for munitions.
such report" said Sir Thomas, sis
premature. My business in London IS
merely to negotiate with the War Office
to see what assistance the Canadian
government can offer in the way of
supplying food and other material for
the equipment of the British army. In
this connection the Canadian Pacihc
Railway could, of course, facilitate the
provision for and the conveyance of
food to the Allied armies"
The Board of Trade has already sent
mission TO Canada to arrange TO
bring unemployed skilled mechanics to
England so far as it can be done with
out interfering with Canadian govern
ment contracts, according TO an an
nouncement made in the House of Com
mons to-day by Walter Runciman,
president of the Board of Trade. Mr..
Runciman added that the men would
-, no a
British workmen on similar work. No
official steps had been taken, ne said,
to obtain workmen from other British
dominions or from the United States.
Asked whether in view of the great
number of skilled mechanics in the
United States it would not be advisable
TO try to induce some of them TO come
here to assist in making war material,
Mr.. Runciman replied that he was not
sure the United States authorities
would welcome such a mission, but he
said the shortage Of mechanics here
had been made well known in America.
Ottawa, Ont, June 1.-THE present
situation of international exchange IS
blamed for Canada's failure to get war
munition orders from the Allies on a
larger scale by ". T. White, Minister
of Finance, in a statement issued to-
day.
Because of the great trade balance
created in favor of the United States
since the outbreak of the war, Mr..
White asserts, European nations could
purchase there only by exporting gold
to settle the balance Of trade against
them. by establishing credits with New
York banks or by selling their securi-
ties in America While Great Britain
had been easing her position by send
ing gold. other Allied nations had
established credits in New York and
sold short time securities TO get the
money to pay for munitions. No Euro
pean nation could afford the vast
amount Of gold required for these pay
ments.
Applying these principles" Mr..
White asserts, 1T will be seen clearly
why Canada is at present at dlsad-
vantage in obtaining orders on vast
scale from Great Britain and the
Allies. Also, the rate of exchange Is
decidedly against Canada as between US
and New York
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