Daily Kennebec journal., 1916-06-08
Redfield's Fools Paradise.

! Secretary Redfield of the Depart
ment Of Commerce declares there is no
reason to fear industrial or CONNER
cial depression in this country at the
close Of the war The official econ
omist of the Democratic party states
that the so-called war business of tie
country does not exceed five per cent
of our total industrial and commercial
activity War exports do not exceed
one quarter of our total exports, says
Mr. Redfeld, and our shipments t.
South America have at least doubled.
| This display of business acumen
from the head of the Commerce De-
partment is as super fetal in its rea'
soning and as far from the truth as
anything he has uttered in recent
months.
Yes. our exports to South America
have nearly doubled. We are not
shipping war supplies to South Amer
| ica Therefore. the increase is not a
var increase, reasons Mr.. Redfeld.
| 1t does not take much more than
school boy ability to kick a gigantic
| hole in the Democratic commerce ex-
rert's argument. But in all fairness we
must remember that Secretary Red
fields chief function right now is to
paint prosperity, which, by the way, is
also the task of all other Democratic
chieftains not writing notes or Jug
cling treasury balances to tie point OF
attra ctiveness.
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 ia the Democratic
secretary Of commerce doing to
strengthen the temporary grip we are
securing in South American trade?
He is issuing prosperity manifestos
and trying to lull the business inter-
ests of the country into a dangerous
quiescence.
But the American business man
knows the phenomenal growth Of
American export trade is largely due
to the war. He knows that at it's close
Europe will bend all energies to
recoup. He knows that then, if ever,
will come the acid test Of American
ability to meet foreign competition.
What is the Democratic administra-
ton doing to assist the business man
to meet this eventuality? 1t is talk
ing about anti dumping legislation,
postponing action or the proposed
tariff commission, lodging the neces-
sary protection of dyestuffs, but really
accomplishing nothing in a positive
way toward industrial and commercial
preparedness.
During the present year with the
war at its height imports Of 3S COM
modities from the category Of general
merchandise and agricultural products
commodities which have had the
most severe competition in normal
times-show an increase of $22,s31, ,OO6
in January, 1916, over January, 1915.
What would have been the increase if
there had been no war? What will be
the increase after the war?
With foreign products besieging our
markets in unprecedented fashion
through the benevolence Of the I'm
derwood tariff, and with our exports
reduced materially through the re-
sumption of manufacturing abroad, it
will not take long for boasted Demo-
cratic prosperity to vanish.
If we are to consider an advantage
so obviously dependent uron conditions
subject to change without notice as
prosperity. then we are prosperous not
because of the Democratic partv but
IT spite of it. Secretary Redfeld
would have us live content midst the
economic instability Of this fools
paradise. But the American business
man and the American voter have
witnessed something Of Democratic
incompetency in the last three years.
When the fail elections come round it
will take more than prosperity preach
ments to return Woodrow Wilson to
the White House.