Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-02-07
MISTAKE ON BOTH SIDES
To RAISE TARIFF WALLS
George Is. Page, of Rome, Discusses
Relations OF United States With
Europe After War.
HE is FORMER vIRGINIAN
Does Not Look for Any Wholesale
Commercial DisaStcr-lmmenSe
Field in Italy for American Capt.
tai and Enterprise.

states as the center of the world y
wealth after the war, the United
states also will be compelled TO make
J huge Investments in Europe. accord
ing to George Is. Page. the banker and
iinancicr
Mr.. Page. who has been established
: in Italy for the past quarter of CEN
fury. although 4 Nirginian born. and
who has perhaps been longer In touch
with European business than any other
! American. during an interview with
the Associated Press correspondent on
, the present and future relations of the
! United States with Europe. and parti
cularly with Italy. said:
! THE whole world is now consider
ing tariff problems. the Europeans to
iget money to pay interest on their war
! loans, and the emitted states to shut
tout products Of foreign industry that
! expects will com" int" sharp com
petition with it's own manufacturers
so soon rs the war il over
81 think il viii L." u mistake on
both sides Of the water to raise tariffs
indiscrimiuutely. Tho situation is
coming 10 this. The United States is
prospcrin@ as the only Ng nation not
at war. She is pling up gold and
credits against Europe. her customer
AS result She vii! have too much
money soon. so much she won't know
what TO Ito with il. ON the other hand
/ Europ"'s energies aud money are go
! 'hS lnlo the war When she gets rid
! of the war. which believe will he
ITO he turned back into business
II do NOT look for any wholesale com
mcrc!al disaster in Europe. such as the
South met after the Civil War do
not look for even :: devastated couu-
! try like Belgium to he permancntlv
ruined. 1t is an industrial country and
its losses will he made UP within a
remarkably brief period. If Belgium
/ mas no, been ruined if YOU cannot lie
str"v Il nation. then it is idle to argue
that Germany can bc destroyed She
too. Will Toe on her feet sooner than
many are willing to admit.
! Now. given these two conditions too
much money In the United states and
plenty OF energy bu, less money in
Europe. there is hut one logical con-
her money ana products representing
moner. over here TO &c. rid Of it, to
mako il earn something
CASE or Wan BITING OFF
NOSE TO SPITE FACE
"Ru, II all of these countries nut
up tariff walls. they won't be nbic to
!d" business together II would he the
I case Of man biting OF his nose 10
spite his face italy, for instance. now
welcomes and will continue to vel
come trade with the United States
tartai from the United States would
nnd good employment. but Italy needs
her raw cotton. her coal and in parti-
cuiaT her electrical machinery. her
agricultural machinery. her utensils for
startiup factories going. Should the
| tnited states put up a tariff wall. then
Italy VIII do the same, and shut out
these products. Ecsul,--both parties
loSrrS
- know there is an immense field in
, Italy for the United States Italy has
long been neglected AMI misunderstood
both as Ia her business and as to her
people. Her business men are as hon
Isl and reliable as YOU may find in any
woll-organiz"d country. \ failure in
business is considered by business men
ia calamity after which they can never
/ lift ihci: heads and they can never
get mp again Therefore. business mon
here pay their bills.
The government also is honest, and
HAS never tried to rcpudiatc u dent.
In 1866, when ltaly's rcntcs were down
I" f"rty-tw". the government kept
right on raying interest. | knew one
nau. AN American living in Florence
who sold ont ali Of his American stocks
and bonds and doubled his fortune by
rrinvesting in these rcntcs ltaly's
po"p!" arc hard working. sober ana
honest The traditions about their
poverty. their unreliable methods have
been handed down for 100 years from
tho time when Italy was divided IN
into little kingdoms and principaIitioe
warning and Jealous Of each other and
does not in the least amply to prcscn,
conditions. Nobody has ever taken the
iiroUh!" 10 correct these old lies
trhii'S ArTITID
NOW NDERSrOoD
Take Itnlys attitnd" in the pres.
eat war. II. too, has been misunaer-
stood or m!sinterpreted. Italy did not
want to go into this war Snc ha1
81 nf
and was not prepared TO 20 into an
other. Then. after long struggle.
she was cemcntinr a real sentiment Of
union among her people. Much has
been said OF her manner OF going into
the war. You say that II has been 81 id
that SHE was apparently trying 70 sec
whether Germany or tho allies would
pay the most for her services Nofh-
ing could be more untrue In respect
[" her treaty with Germany. il was no.
Il love affair. bat one to preserve tho
peace Of Europe, peace which She
heartily desired. Germany did not asl;
her consent to go TO war. KNOWN. that
| Italy would Immediately try TO stop
the war.
The reason Italy did go into the
war was not because of the promise
of pay from the allies, but. reluctantly
as matter Of national defense While
there did not exist n hard feeling be
tween the Germans and Italians there
has long been one between the Italians
and AuStrans. The frontier between
these latter countries was such thai
at any time the Austrians could invade
Italy, and Italy could in such case de-
fcnd herself only with difficulty a Gif-
iiculty that is proven by the energy
required IN the present war. She is
not hanging back. but vanuuishing day
by day and step by step the difficult
nature of the territory in which the
advance must be made She will re
gain her two old provinces and there
! by make impossible a future invasion
| by Austria
''lf the United States desires To do
business here the right Kind of bust
ness men must be sent over. those
speaking French or Italian. and mon
VIII" AZ" willing TO stay in the country
/ long enough 10 learn lis ways. The
only Americans who have ever come
here previously were those merely bent
| ON pleasure. or during the war. to sell
| munitions or coal or something Of that
sort Frequently these men. because
! or their lack of proper training. have
| fallen into The hands OF Intermediates
| Of questionable characters and their