Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1916-01-13
u. S. CAPITAL TO
REBUILD EUROPE
Commission From Holland
Tells How America Will
Revivify Continent

Europe rebuilt, revivified rejuven-
ated, all through the power of Amer
lean capital, is the vision and pro-
phecy of j. Bendien, of Amsterdam,
Holland, Vice-president of the Amer
lean Export Chamber of Commerce of
Holland, who visited Harrisburg to-
day and moved on to Washington this
afternoon Mr.. Bendien is one of
Dutch Commission here to establish
trade relations with countries of Eu-
rope after the war, emphasizing par
tlcularly the peculiar advantage of
hollands central location with a
view to making her the transit coun-
try through which commercial lines
Will be relaid between this country
and Europe.
Mr. Bendien spent the morning in
the office of the Chamber of Com
mefce, where he was visited by many
members anxious to meet the dis
tlnguished, visitor and get his view
point on the international situation
A. A. Pfanstiehl, of Chicago, the other
member of the commission who has
spent years in Europe studying condi-
tions there, is Ill at his home and was
unable to accompany Mr. Bendien,
who has, since his arrival in this
country on December g. visited many
OF the important cities east of the Mis-
lsslppi, including New York, Roches-
ter, Buffalo, Chicago, st. Louis, Gin
c1nnat, Cleveland and Pittsburgh.
Harrisburg is his only stop between
Pittsburgh and Washington.
Ambitious Program Is Planned
Mr' Bendiens mission is purely a
commercial one, although heartily
supported by the government and
other interests of Holland. In his
estimation, now is the most favorable
time to establish the bureau that the
commission has in mind, namely, an
American Commercial Information
bureau IN Europe to act as an in
termediary between the manufactur-
ing interests of the United States and
European market; to rebuild Eu-
rope and give credit to the suffering
nations under the most faVora BILE
terms; and TO establish in Holland,
which is ideally situated for such a
purpose, an independent commercial
information agency: and to wait un-
I'll after the war for all this would
mean to delay too long. Most of the
neutral countries are now in splendid
financial condition, cash basis ex-
lists for all transactions between the
United States and the countries not
engaged in the war and consequently
some sort of clearing house becomes
an actual necessity. Membership in
the new chamber or bureau will be
open to every American firm of good
standing.
Speaking of industrial conditions in
this country and Holland, Mr.. Ben
dien remarked upon the big boom
that America is enjoying, and con-
trasted the quiet condition of the port
of Rotterdam. usually so active, as an
example of the general condition in
this country. Holland is, of course,
transit country, through which
goods pass from one European coun-
try to another, and naturally the war
ana the various compelled en-
bargoes make it very quiet in the Hol-
land ports.
me trouble with YOU Americans"
he added, lis that you have no sys-
tenn in your export business, you are
too active, YOU rush too much"
Local Concerns Active i'm Export
Business
Amsterdam and Rotterdam are
world markets for tobacco, tea, cof-
fee, spices, hides, and grains. and it
is their hope to increase and widen the
scope of their imports and exports
A number of firms in this city, a few
of which are the Jackson Manufactur-
ing company, the Elliott t-Fisher Conn
pany, Moorhead Knitting company.
Harrisburg Pipe and Pipe Bending
Works, Morton Truck and Tractor
company, and all the steel plants do
q big export business, and il is such
firms that this Dutch Commission is
endearoring to interest in it's broad
program for the closer cementing of
relations between this country and the
countries of Europe. The commission
has received from the national De-
partment OF Commerce at Washington
assurances of hearty cooperation.