Evening journal., 1916-07-11
REDFIELD,s FOOLS PARADISE.

q EcRETARY REDFIELD, of the Department of Com
~ merce, declares there is to fear indus
trial commercial depression in this country the
close OF the The official economist Of the Demo-
cratic party that the so-caed war business OF
the country does not exceed five per cent of
total industrial and commercial activity War ex-
ports exceed one-quarter of total exports,
says Mr.. Redheld and our shipments to South Amer
lea have at least doubled.
This display OF business acumen from the head of
tho Commerce Department is as superficial in its
soning and as far from the truth anything he has
uttered in recent months.
Yes. our exports to South America have nearly
doubled We are not shipping war supplies to South
America Therefore. the increase is not a war in
crease reasons Mr.. Redheld.
It does not take much more than schoolboy ability
10 kick a gigantic hole in the Democratic commerce
experts argument. But in all fairness we must re-
member that Secretary Redfelds chief function right
now is to paint prosperity which, by the way is also
the task Of all other Democratic chieftains not writ
ing notes juggling treasury balances to the point of
attractiveness
What will happen when German British. and French
export markets and banking organizations resume in
the South American field at the close Of the war? What
is the Democratic Secretary Of Commerce doing to
strengthen the temporary grip We are securing in
South American trade?
He is issuing prosperity manfestos and trying TO
gerous Quiescence.
But the American business man knows the phe-
nomenal growth Of American export trade is largely
due to the war He knows that at its close Europe
will bend all energies recoup. He knows that then,
II ever will the acid test Of American ability to
meet foreign competition.
What is the Democratic administration doing to
assist the business TO meet this evenuality? II
is talking about anti-dumping legislation postponing
action on the proposed tariff commission, lodging the
necessary protection Of dyesuffs but really accom-
plshng nothing in a positive way toward industrial
and commercial preparedness.
During the present year with the at its height
imports OF thirty-eght commodities from the categor!
Of general merchandise and agricultural products
commodities which have had the most severe compeh
tion IN normal tImes-show increase of S22,S31OO
in January 1916 January 1915. What wou
have been the increase n there had been no war
What will be the increase after the war?
with foreign products besiegng our markets in un
precedented fashion through the benevolence Of thu
| Underwood tariff and with exports reduced ma
| teraliy through the resumption Of manufacturing
abroad II will rot take long for boasted Democratic
prosperity TO vanish.
II we are to consider advantage obviously de
pendent upon conditions subject to change withou
notice as prosperity. then prosperous not be
cause OF the Democratic party but in spite of IT, Sec
retary Redhed would have live content midst tn
economic instability Of this FOOLS paradise. But tn
American business and the American voter hav
witnessed something Of Democratic incompetency 4
the last three years When the Fall elections com
round It will take than prosperity preachment
to return Woodrow Wilson to the White House.