News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1917-08-22
GERMANY PLANS
FIGHT To CAPTURE
TRADE AFTER WAR
Enemy Modifying Industrial
Resources For World
Commerce War.
BUILDS MERCHANT SHIPS
Going Over to Peace Commission
Formed to Devise Means to Win
Back Export Trade Lost Through
Conflict of Arms.

Back Export Trade Lost rnrous-
Conflict of Arms.
Contrary to the general belief, Ger
many, during the past three years, has
not confined her shipbuilding activities
to the turning out of submarines and
other war. vessels. Since the outbreak
of the war twenty-eight new freight
steamers have been constructed in her
shipyards. 1t Is also worthy of note
that German steamship offices through
out the neutral world are being kept
open for the immediate resumption Of
business and that recently the clerical
STATS in these Offices have been restored
to full from half pay.
| To the American manufacturer ard
| his employee there is world of signif-
canoe in these correlated statements Of
| fact, indicating, as they do, the extent
| to which Germany is prepared for the
| campaign of industrial reconstruction
! and the wholesale conquest of world
trade markets which she plans to I'M
dertake the moment peace has been re-
stored. Germany is making ready for
the economic war just as carefully as
she prepared for the present conflict.
Just as every man, automobile, horse
and factory in the empire was indexed
and given place in mobilization for ac-
tual war, so have certain men, indus
tries and raw materials been indexed
today and given their place in the mo-
bilization for German export trade with
the coming of peace.
Other Nations May Follow Suit.
Nor is it to be supposed that the 9TH
er big nations will be behindhand in
bidding for world trade after the war
to make up for the tremendous trade
losses sustained through the conflict.
Under pressure Of national danger the
governments in these countries have
come into closer touch with their man.
ufacturers and, having learned the
principles of industrial mobilization,
are in a position to aid those manu-
facturers in times of peace.
Germany's plans for the trade war
may go astray just as some of the
features of her military program did
during the past three years, but a re-
cftal of the active steps she has taken
toward economic and industrial recon-
struction will serve to emphasize the
need in this country for industrial econ
omy and efficiency unhampered by
strife between wage earners and wage
payers and unwise business laws.
To begin with, Germany is not on
the verge of bankruptcy. She has no
huge floating international debt, and
her war loans are secured several
times over. She has not put such a
pressure on her mines that they will
be overwhelmed when peace comes,
nor has she exhausted her other re-
sources. Unless conditions are very
changed by the outcome of
the war she will be in an excellent
position to wage the fight for the re-
covery of the $5,000,000,000 worth of
world trade she lost through the war.
Plenty of Goods For Export
When the war ends, Germany will
have plenty of goods in a few lines
in which she enjoys a superabundance
Of raw materials to throw back upon
the world markets, and she will be
able to sell these goods at q very low
price. There are factories in Elber-
field, Remscheid, Frankfurt-am-Main
and Dusseldorf today turning out a
steady flow, not for the purposes of
war, but for peace
Germany's preparations for the re-
- j
Y thorough. The imperial government
las appointed 'The Friedensubergau
commission" literally the going over
o peace commission, which is headed
" Senator Stahmer of the Hamburg
,arliament. Associated with the latter
re the most prominent German cap
aims Of industry and bankers. The
,lans so far evolved by the Stahmer
commission for the recapturing of Ger
1any's $5,0O0,OO0,OO0 worth of lost
rade are based upon the principle that
7hen peace comes Germany must ex-
ort cargoes of goods that far exceed
D value the class of goods she imports.
hat will enable her to establish a sub
tantial trade balance.
Al ntl tABolL dCllhlllHS sue VIII
lost stress on lines such as chemicals,
yestuffs, hardware cutlery and "knick-
nacks," for her available raw mate
als favor the abundant production OF
lose articles. They viii have to i'm
Ort copper, nickel, cotton and animal
its and American machinery. On any
her commodity it is almost a certain
that the Stahmer committee win rec
nmend prohibitive import duties, es-
scially on manufactured articles.
If Germany is to compete successful
for world trade, however, it is vital
essential that costs be kept down
the manufacture of the chosen arti-
es of export. The imperial order
Is gone forth that the exporters bur-
N be lightened, and all sorts Of con-
ssiOns will be made him in the form
preferential railroad rates and cheap
land waterway tolls and ocean freight
ties. - Industrial Conservation, NeU