The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1916-11-04
IS ANYBODY WORKING F0R Us
INTHlS WAYp

Straight expressed the opinion that
there is real danger that after the
war our exports might fall to a fig
ure even below that Of the period
before the war.
This would mean q tremendous,
almost a cataclysmic, readjustment.
We are exporting now at the rate Of
about six billions of dollars a year.
Before the war closes there Is every
reason to believe that the volume
will be still greater. In the last rep
resentative. year before the war ex-
ports Of merchandise were about
81, 800, 100000. So that it is per-
fectly possible-in fact, highly prob
able-that by the time the war ends
we shall be exporting three times as
much as when it began.
Suppose Mr.. Straight is correct.
Suppose we shall, at the wars end,
be producing and sending away five
billions of dollars more in values
than when the war began. Suppose
that that entire five billions Of bust
ness shall in a short time be wiped
out, and perhaps inroads made on
the business we were normally doing
before hostiIites started. What will
happen?
1t is not safe to assume that this
may not be our experience. There
are indeed two views. Some people
insist that while the nature Of Eu-
ropes demands will greatly change,
the volume of business will continue
a considerable time. Others say that
when the war ends the neutral world
will again be able to finance itsef,
and will add a great demand to the
peace requirements Of Europe; so
that the two together will insure the
substantial maintenance of the for
eign trade volume.
But the Straight opinion is widely
entertained; notably by many people
who have been looking into affairs
abroad, and considering seriously the
possible effects of the economic alli-
ances among the European coun-
tries. Not very much attention has
been given in this country to those
alliances. They are taken far more
seriously on the other side than they
are here. The other side ought to
know, for it is even more intimately
and deeply concerned than we are.
Norway, Sweden, and Denmark
have bound themselves in one ALI
ance; the central powers in another
the entente nations in a third. Nc
one of their alliances is intended tc
be commercially friendly to US. Ev'
cry one of them, in the very nature
of things, must be hostile to our in
terests, because we will be the "goot
picking" of the world: they will
want to get some of our gold, oul
trade, our financial power, ava!
from US.
Are Americans, Is the American
, Government, giving as much. atten
ton to this whole subject as shoul'
: be given? Mr.. Straight notes tina
"the best political, economic, and dip
| lomatic minds Of Europe have TO
, the last two years been intently a
. work devising trade policies which
r put into effect would eliminate muc
: that is inherent in the internations
q tariff structure which has been de
z veloped since 1871"
d It is not proposed here to cor
a slider what the United States is &c
4 ing to do about all this; only, in a
O earnestness, to press the question,
O the United States doing anything
h prepare for eventualities Have tn
q "best economic, diplomatic, and pr
! litical minds" in this country bee
It giving the attention the subject d.
d serves? It does not seem that the
l. have. Certainly there has been lit
,e TO justify belief that the presel
IA Administration entertains adequa'
conception of the set of problem
" here suggested. There was too lor
ID a delay before the Administrative
" and the country awoke to the net
if of military preparedness. If war hi
10 come, that delay would have caus'
I'd disaster. Thus far war has not com
is But peace is certain to come; al
I'd the need to prepare for new &c
e. nomic conditions that will come wi
tn it, is not less grave than the need
H. prepare for possible war. There
st no doubt that peace will return. I
ly doubt that it will bring its new pro
re lens. The country needs be pla
an ming to cope with them. It is n
oy doing so, and one reason why tod
/ A-..I T. Hs.ohaa