The Hartford republican. (Hartford, Ky.) 18??-1926, 1916-11-24
UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT
REGARDS DEVELOPMENTS
WITH CONCERN.
PEOPLE DON'T REALIZE
OGciaIs Think Mass Of Americans DO
Not Understand Full Danger AZ
ter The War Ends.

Washington, NOV. Zl'- Tue P'"S
pectiye European commercial war
after the war, viewed with tncreas-
ing seriousness here. is being watch
ia carefully by American consular
officers abroad and reports are being
received regularly at the department
rom many different sources. II be-
same known to-day that all available
able facts are being sent on to wash
ington, both as to the progress al
ready made in planning this econom-
ic struggle and as to expected future
developments.
oficials here think the American
people do not fully realize the posi-
ble effects OF such post-bellum strife
on their huge foreign trade, when
has passed the $1,000. 100000 mark
annually. Uncertain as the futurc
il and varying as are all the reports
no doubt is felt here that the coun-
try faces a grave economic danger
, unless Il does all possible. first TO
forestall such a struggle, and second
10 prepare against It in case present
indications are borne out.
To Seek Legislation.
Legislation along this line will be
sough, in Congress. The Webb bill,
allowing American firms TO unite for
foreign trade without violation OF the
antitrust laws. Is To he urged again
in the Presidents next address. The
shipping Board. provided at the last
Congress. is expected to be named
shortly and to submit programme
designated to free Americas sea-
horne trade from dependence on for
ign bottoms. maximum and mini
mum tariff TO automatically favor
friends and punish those discriminat-
ing against American goods is anoth-
or proposed means of defense which
will be submitted for consideration
by the new tariff commissions.
The State Department is deeply
interested i'm the threatened trade
complexities and 1t is largely for
his reason that as many consular Of
acers as happen to be in this country
2 at the time will be sent to the fourth
annual meeting of the National For
eign Trade Council at Pittsburg Jan
uary 25, 20 and 81. Among those
who are expected to attend are Con
sui General at Large Il. j. Totten,
who has just returned from two
wears European investigations; Con-
sui General j. II. Snodgrass, from
Moscow; Consul +. w. Smith, from
Tnis; Consul J. A. Smith, from Cal
eutta, and Consul A. l.. M. Colts
chalk. from Rio Janeiro.
Reports Vary.
Reports to the department vary
widely in their Interpretation of the
probabilities abroad. 1t Is apparent
that personal hatred among the
masses will result in practically boy
colts against goods from countries
now hastile. Doubt is expressed.
however. as 10 whether an actual
trade war, as proposed by the London
Chamber of Commerce with different
tariffs for colonies. alliess friendly
neutrals, will be decreed by official
act
Nevertheless. ii is pointed out that
the provisions OF the Paris Economic
Conference OF last June, which sought
10 bind the Allies to commercial I'M
ity as against the rest of the world,
already to a large degree have been
carried OUT. The blacklist there
adopted was shortly made public. Mu-
tual concessions and freedom from
certain tariffs also followed. Raw ma
terials have been placed very largely
under allied domination. Officials
therefore. are disturbed lest complex
ion OF part of the policy presages the
completion of much more OF II.