The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1916-03-11
American Business Concerns sas !.
In Germany Facing Ruin
(By Associated Press

Berlin, March l1.-For nearly a
year and a half the American bust
ness men and firms in Germany, cut
off almost entirely from the goods
with which they do business, have
been making desperate but compar-
atively unorganized efforts to stave
off the ruin that has been staring
them in the face Some have tried
to import stocks surreptitiously
while others have attempted by cur
tailment and economy to weather
the storm. But, just as steadily as
they have curtailed, just so steadily
has England frightened it's blockade,
until today the man who receives a
shipment of anything that is non
contraband is envied of all his fell
low American business men.
The. situation became immeasur-
ably worse last year when the ia
cilities of the parcels post no longer
were available. More than one firm
had eked out it's existence by this
means
After year and a half a more or
less feeble effort at concerted action
has been made. This has consisted
of wireless appeals to CONGRESS and
| n inli,iIInl oh,
! the American Association Of Com
merce and Trade" praying for some
most of the big American business
firms in Germany set of questions,
! the most important of which was
"What do you think will be the re-
suit if you continue to be unable to
get goods?"
The answers varied in wording,
but were epitomized in the reply of
the representative of a big type
writer company. declaring that a
continuation of the present situation
spelled ruin Though the Associa-
ton S list of questions did not touch
upon the point, nine-tenths of the
replies pointed out that in addition
to impending disaster, trade was
slowly but surely falling into the
hands of German competitors.
An Associated Press correspond
ent made canvass of the larger
/ American establishments in Germany
establishments which for the most
part have been in business for de-
cadeo, and which not only are grad
ually LOSING their German and Aus
trian business but also before the
war dealt with Germany'h present
opponents, and consequently have
lost their trade with Russia, France,
Italy. Belgium and other countries.
The list included the largest type
writer company in the world, the
largest dental supply firm in exist
ence, the biggest shoe company, in
point of sales of American goods, in
Germany, large adding machine
corporation, a well known elevator
manufacturing concern, one of the
largest manufacturers of toilet ar
! ticles in America and other smaller
concerns. but no attempt was made
to determine the possible losses of
establishments dealing in contra
band, or even in conditional contra
band-eXcept as the latter consti-
tutes part of the imports of the
dental supplies in the form of gutta
percha and rubber. The correspond
ents investigation was confined sole
! ly 10 things at present held up by
the blockade which could not di-
rectly serve war purposes.
Many millions of dollars worth OF
goods either have been held up or.
though needed, have not been order
ed because of the impossibility OF
getting them. Many more millions
of invested capital probably will be
lost completely, in the opinion OF
their investors, if there is not a
speedy remedy.
Women and children's shoes, it is
contended, are not contraband. Yet
the American shoe men in Germany
despair of ever being able to get any
more because they assume that Eng.
land withholds these articles on the
theory that, without American goods
Germany must apply a considerable
proportion of its leather stock tC
supply its civilian population. Will
American shoes for women and chill
dren this leather could be used fol
soldiers footwear.
Business men in other lines
typewriters for example-fail L
| understand what ADVANTAGE tn,
blockade can have. America, anC
America only, they maintain. is be
ing hurt. Germany. they say, ha,
an abundance of metal. and the ex
clusion of American typewriter.
merely gives the German manufac
facturers of this machine an advan
! tage that they have waited for il
vain since the introduction of tn,
industry here.
A considerable items in the dam