The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1917-12-24
WAR PROMOTES
TRADE PLANS
United States Preparing to
Capture New Markets,
Says Holland.

WQlC0 COnuEIu IL eAAC eS@~@ N~-~~~
as intensely occupied as Germany is
with her military movements the gov
eminent is not neglecting her nom
military industries or her shipping,
the clear purpose being to have the
industries and shipping in such good
condition after the war Is ended that
the Germans may begin Immediately
an attempt to regain some part of the
world trade which was lost to them
when the war began.
Industrial leaders have been for some
time concerned over the apparently In
different or forgetful attitude of the
government and of many of the people
toward the conditions which will con-
front US Immediately after the war Is
ended. This morning an Industrial
leader. who is also a man OF widely
recognized financial ability. said that
Il Is appalling to those who know
what the condition is to realize that
almost nothing Is being done in the
way of preparations for the world
trade. commerce and industry which
We should have after the war Is
ended. From Washington there now
comes information that the Bureau OF
Foreign and Domestic Commerce has
recently taken heed of these future
contingencies. The bureau Is begin
ming to organize in such manner as
will enable it to assist our Industrial
and financial leaders SO that they may
be able not only to retain the trade
with other nations which we have Sc
cured. but also greatly to increase it.
But It is the opinion of men compe-
tent to Judge that relatively as great
preparations should be made for the
future as are now under way for war
purposes.
The Washington Bureau of Foreign
, and Domestic Commerce whose mem
bers have made some investigation
into the situation feels that 1t may
now venture to predict that the
United States will maintain and even
increase the financial and CONNER
cial supremacy which We have gained
in the past three years.
Great Demand From Europe.
One reason upon which this official
opinion Is based is the belief that de-
mand will come 10 the United States.
especially from France and Belgium
and other countries. and perhaps
from Russia. for building material,
machinery. railway equipment. IN the
aggregate enormous in quantity, and,
years at least.
With wise preparation and such
careful consideration OF our future
interests after the war is ended as is
now possible. the official authorities
at Washington feel assured that we
can maintain and increase not only
our financial, but also our CONNER
cial supremacy after the war. Some
figures are given by the bureau OF
such magnitude that the mind is al
most unable to grasp the meaning Of
them. As. for instance. il is Off
cially reported that in three years
sold has come to the United States
in such amounts that We now pos
sesS fully one-third Of the worlds
-. visible supply of gold. We are not
likely to lose much Of this gold. al
though some of il will be exported
to settle balances with nations whose
exports to US are greater than our
imports to them. The other day Ar
=entina paid of n loan OF several
millions. and it was said by those
who know that il the movement Of
money required to liquidate this debt
could be traced it would be found
that il represents some part of Ar
gentina's favorable trade balance
WIN Ni4t IIlltu SldLtS. LOT We owed
on this account more to Argentina
than she owed us.
what We HIVE Bought.
Nobody pretends to make any ac-
curate estimate of the amount of
American money which has recently
been invested in foreign securities ex-
cepting to fix the figure. at a reason
able guess at many millions. There
Is official record to show how many
millions of loans secured in the United
States by England, France. Russia
and Italy have passed into the hands
OF private investors or banks.
1t, of course, has been necessary to
make an estimate of the amount of
our current world trade which De-
cember exports and imports represent.
but 1t Is regarded as a reasonable
calculation that the excess Of exports
.oyer imports for 1917 amounts to S.
5000. 600. This should be taken into
consideration when the highly impor-
tant and difficult financing which will
follow the close of the war begins.
One of the astounding statements
made by the Washington Bureau tells
Of the money value Of our exports Of
1871 in completely manufactured pro-
We sold 5000. coo. 600 worth of manu-
featured products not only to Europe
but to the Far East and South Amer
lea Yet a few years ago We sold
to other countries less than 81
0o. 600 worth of completed man
ufactures. That is the kind of
trade which the leaders in our
industries and now the Washington
Bureau of Foreign and Domestic COM
merce will by means of thorough
preparation seek to maintain and in
crease after the European war is end
I'd.
Our New Business.
The new business which has been
secured since 1914 in South America
and in the Far East should be and
can be maintained and increased;
but our imports from these coun-
tries must also be greatly increased
since these nations can not buy in
large amounts from US unless we al
50 buy in large amounts from them
Dur principal imports from these
countries will be raw material, su-
gar. coffee and some other food
Btuffs.
How amazingly foreign trade re-
lations have changed since 1914, is
1 fact to which the Washington bu-
'eau calls earnest attention. saying
that now the American countries
Iurpass Europe In the money value
II the commodities exported to the
United States. The figures show that