The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1916-03-23
Allies Won't Submit to Gus
toms Union After Euro
pean War is Ended
ARE PREPARED FOR
AN ECONOMIC WAR
President of British Board of Trade
Admits Must Prepare for a Rigid
Competition for Commerce in Neu-
trail Markets of World

LONDON, March 23.-Walter Runci-
man, president of the board of trade.
declares that Great Britain and her
allies do not contemplate the economic
strangu!ation of Germany as a result
of the war, but are determined to end
forever the menace in peaceful world
of German militarism.
He said the allies would not submit
to the establishment of q customs union
of the Central Powers after the war
as this would mean the start by Ger
many of an economic war.
He frankly admitted that the United
States must prepare for a rigid but
friendly competition for commerce in
the neutral markets of the world. He
said Great Britain was preparing for
efficient internal and external organi-
zation of her trade and commerce.
Germany has announced that at the
conclusion of this war she viii attempt
to establish customs union of the
| Central Powers on aggressive lines, -
| he said. This can only mean that
| she intends to follow up the present
| conflict with an economic war.
eff this is the deliberate object we
and our allies will know how to meet
an aggressive war of that nature just
as we have met hostile action for the
last 90 months. But we viii be bet
ter prepared for this threatened eco
monte war. We are much obliged
to Germany for warning us beforehand.
The economic war which she
threatens would be a permanent bar
rier to the peaceful development of
Europe. / have myself used language
hostile in character in regard to Ger
many s trade. / did so believing that
crushing the enemy s trade was an es-
, sential step to victory in this war
Every belligerent at all times daring
the progress of the war has attempted
to destroy the enemy's trade as q
measure of war.
Germany S power of resistance, as
well as ours, depends upon the extent
} of her material resources. These we
t must, as an act of war, diminish il
value. We must do everything in on
power to prevent her from accurnulat
: ing stocks or adding to her wealth
: abroad. We are doing everything il
our power topregents this. s-s9 g.
I'VE can t allow our citizens +
trade with German firms in China
: from whom we are withholding SUP
: plies. That is only one of the man,
: instances of our efforts to prevent he
+ from creating credits abroad or re
: tanning the commercial strength whic
d would enable her to carry out til
|, threat of an economic war on the cor
l clusion of military peace.
r I'VE want to make it clear to &c
\ many that the longer the war contiI
! ues the less viii be her chance of r.
= equipment out of the profits of foreig
"a markets. We aim at shortening tt
= war. Everything which tends to pr
serve her wealth is likely to lengthe
4 the war.
1 'sThe coming conference in Par
} will approach all these questions wi
4 these points in mind. We are all d
I termined to resist Germany wherev
\ we find her trying to establish polit
1 cal predominanee in foreign countri
I by commercial means. We are actual
I by the necessity for defence and d
1 closures which this war provided of
4 complete junker policy at home al
! abroad. 1t is a lesson none of the :
lies will ever forget
You ask what effect this win ha
on our commercial relations with Am
lea. l reply that we will continue
q be good commercial neighbors to
United States on the American con
= nent. Of course we will compete again
sh your traders and manufacturers whe
an ever we can with renewed vigor,
neutral markets, whenever the war
on over. But the competition will be tt
of honest merchants seeking no end