New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-10-16

complish this without disastrous re-
actions is the great problem. In this
train of thought "The London Econ
omist" says:
Il will be generally admitted that
Germany's conduct before and during
the war has outraged the laws OF IN
ternational decency so gravely that
q she continues TO be guided by the
same spirit and policy, CIVILIZATION
and progress will be menaced after
the war by her retention or recovery
If wealth, now so essential TO MILL
tarv power. II, therefore, the war
ends in such way that the military
party Is still dominant in a suoser-
Went Germany, the arguments OF
those who contend that every enort
must be made to keep Germany poor
will be based on a solid foundation.
How TO do so without damaging our
soIves and others who have fought
for civilization is a problem that has
been perhaps more freely discussed
than deeply considered. II has been
.asv. in a time of warlike excitement,
for economic Hotspurs TO proceed
from the obvious necessity for los
t.r;ng certain essential industries In
which our dependence on foreign sup
NV has been found TO be public
danger, 70 a contention that we ought
IN have no trade Of any kind with
Germany after the war. II such a
poIicv could be carried out, would 1t
hurt Germany more than II would
hurt us7 Would our shipbuilding and
engineering trades benefit from the
stopping Of cheap raw material from
GERMANY Would our export trade
to Germany benefit by being cut of
And would our export trade to neu-
trail markets all over the world bene-
fit by the cutthroat competition OF
Germany, made keener than ever by
being shut out of our home market
Whether g punitive tariff against
Germany so would serve the end is
lebatable. Alfred Bigland, NJ. p,
n a recent article in the trade sup
element Of "The London Times" calls
attention to the startling considera-
ion that it would be necessary to
apply the same measures against
leutral countries, because otherwise
Germany would start factories In
Neutral countries and begin to make
profits at England's expense, where
ipon the boycott would fail unless
england included in her tariff sched-
lie "all neutral countries on the
;ame level as enemy countries" To
his "The Economist" writes:
There is much truth in this argu-
ment. but II we adopt Mr.. Biglands
apparent conclusion and put up an
effective ring fence against all neu-
trail countries, dismal prospect lies
before the future OF that mighty
worldwide trade which has given Us
resources, industrial and financial,
which are now astonishing mankind
as our war expenditure first makes
them fully manifest. 1t will be all
evil day for civilization II in order
70 hurt Germany we cut off trade
with America, and so knit Germany
and America more closely with
economic bonds, while we check the
community Of interest between our
selves and the great English-speak-
ing Republic, which is growing so
fast In strength, and is hardly yet
beginning to recognize It's interna-
tional responsibilities.
In the controversy that RACES be-
-ween the Free Traders and the Pro-
the former have the ad
of logic and the latter the
advantage of emotion. Harold Cox,
The Edinburgh Review" lands a
leavy truth upon the faith in tariffs.
France, Russia and Italy, all Of them
protected by tariffs, were more be-
levilled by German penetration than
treat Britain, unprotected by tariffs.
There is still the question: How shall
Germany be kept poor? 1.-THE Econ
mist" contributes the following sug-
,estion:
II in the interests Of peace II is
necessary to keep Germany poor after
the war, this end would seem to be
most likely to be served by making it
necessary for Germany to work not
only for her own consumption or for
selling to her customers, but for the
restoration of the property she has
destroyed in France and Belgium and
Russia and Serbia and elsewhere. A
great indemnity, payable in cash or
kind or bills Of exchange TO our al
lies who have suffered by invasion,
would be measure Of the barest
justice. Her depredations on our
merchant navy might also be in
cluded in the bill, but IL is above all
essential that we should avoid even
the appearance Of any desire to make
commercial profit out Of war into