New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-11-03

u
rope will in some way overwhelm
I the United States by her economic
mower and her economic antagon-
I isms TO the United States. Won
der that any thinking man can en-
terrain an opinion Of that sort. IL
is obviously based upon singular
and profound ignorance. What IS
this war doing to Europe? Does
war increase the economic EN-
ciencv Of n nation? From 40 TO
60 per cent of the skilled mechan-
les of Europe have been called into
the field. And the whole energy
the whole physical energy. the
/ whole dexterity. the whole thought
Of great nations have been con-
centrated on this business OF de-
: struction The business Of destruc-
ton has been so successful that
the materials of economic life have
been DESTROYED on an enormous
scale.
Speaking to the Associated Bust
ness Papers Association on the mex
Gay, a singular and profoundly igno
rant CD person named Edwin n
Hurley, chairman of the Fedora
Trade Commission, said:
When we think of Europe we
think of a continent engulfed in
war. devastated and disordered, but
| want TO say to you that we must
correct that conception. While in
many respects we know little of
what is going on in the warning
nations, we do know that within
sound of the guns, almost within
reach of the falling shells. Europe
is recognizing her industries.
Under the stress of the life and
death struggle every effort is be-
ing made to obtain the highest ef-
fciencv in the production. the dis
tribution and the use Of commodi-
ties of all kinds. Conservatism in
industrial ideas and methods has
been blasted and shattered to
pieces in the shock of war; old sys-
TENS that normally would have
hung on for years have been dis
carded in a day; old equipment
that would have been retained for
wears has been scrspped as fast as
possible for new installations Of
the most advanced type. New proc
esse. are being discovered. new in
ventions are being made and new
forms of organization are being
created.
Mr.. Hurley's ignorance is inter
esting and important. Unfortunate
", it is not good politics. Perhap
Mr.. Hurley does not mind. Their
is reason TO believe that he is some
what of an ironist. Somewhere IL
the same speech he said:
Government and business more
than anything else need. as 1t were,
70 sit down together and consider
the problem of our business and
industrial welfare.
First, it would seem to be very de
sirable for the government to 81
down with itself. 1t is absurd, To-
instance, that the executive head O.
the government should have TO reat
in the newspapers what the head o.
the Federal Trade Commission think
of the effect of war upon economi'
conditions in Europe.
Mr.. Hurley is right. Economical
/ ". Europe is more efficient and more
productive than was ever the cas'
before. She is producing actual!
more goods than at any previous
time in her history. That she is a
the same time running into debt Il
the outside world for goods is owing
not to a decline in her own produc
ton, but TO an enormous increase il
the amount of goods consumed. He
deficit is in only certain manufact
ures and merchandise, mainly food
stuffs and munitions; but of othe
kinds of merchandise she is still abl
to produce a surplus for sale. Tn
amazing fact is that British export
to this country are running highe
than before the war. Those o
France are only little behind nor
nal and those of Italy are higher
Imports of merchandise into tn
United States from Great Britain
France and Italy in the seven month
preceding the outbreak of the wa
compare with those of the seve
months ended July 81, 1916, as fol
lows:
Seven mos. Seven mo
20 July 81. 20 July 3
1914 1916.
Great Britain. SIZE. 300, 900 $194, 500, 90
France ....... 10000, 900 $500, 90
Italy ......... 33,50o,o0o 3s,7oo,0o