The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1917-09-21
/. {. STEEL CORPORATION HEAD
SEESGERMANY NEAR EXHAUST TON

ATLANTIC CITY. y. J.. Sept. 20.-ln
nm address made today before the FOR
eign Trade Session of War convention
. of American Business Men. James ~
Earrrl. Chairman Of the National For
eirn Trade Council and President OF the
United States Steel Corporation. as
serted that the war would be war OF
economic superiority. and that on tne
side OF the United States and the Al
lies 1iss. the preponderance Of weight in
tbis respect. Germany. the speaker
said. already must be approaching eH-
hsustion, but the end Of the hossllitleS
vas being delayed because or the "o'
ssr<ul coordination Of all her rna1erAal
forces.
Mr.. Farrell added that it was inpera
hive that American business men shoulo
whole-heartedly Join in solving the prop,
1r1n Of how the resources OF the Cnieeo
States can best be etaploIeo III she
carrying on OF the war
In part Mr.. Farrell said:
TN the last analysis. this is con-
,ssc which will BE- decided by superior
.,y in economic resources. AT the oegln-
ming OF the war. both sides were IN pos
session OF these TO a lavish degree: by !
din, OF prod;gal use by all or the CON-
hasants. thes: resources have oeen very
seriously reduced. and in the case Oh
taus,ion. There can be no question on
which side lies the preponderance OF
economic strength. If 1t were merely
question Of matching the resources
az the Entente Allies with those pos
s..ssed BY the Central Powers. weight
for weight, or bulk for bulk. the war
would speedily come TO an END. But
The war Is prolonged because or the
skill and determination when Germany ,
has brought to the organization and CO.
ordination Of all the material forces
available to her. $50
TT is here that an imperative obli>
cation rests on American business to
contribute It's intelligence. Its energy
Ynd It's tenacitr. whole-heartedly and
unselfshly, to the problem OF how all
IN. resources at joint command can De
best employed in the service OF the
war.
The United States IS called upon TO
do it's share Of a tremendous task win
a raeagre merchant marine. Il IS 1ree-
" admitted that Great Britain at the
ou,set OF the war allowed a vast amount
OF merchant tonnage to be wasted
through lack Of centralized power. and
/. 10 douhly important that the United
states should profit BY the lesson oy
avoiding any such loss In efficiency. let
although 1t was apparently the intention
of congress to concentrate IN tne snip
ming board all the functions relating TO
the American merchant marine. there 49,
as YET. no unified control OF tonnage
Vessels are impressed for the navy and
held under navy control: vessels are
impressed for the army and held under
army control. This is precisely what
happened In England at the outbreak OF
the war and caused an enormous vast
age Of available tonnage. It was only
after two years Of such wastaSe tnat
the British Government was moved %
create a Ministry of Shipping with so-
preme powers over all tonnage. The
methods OF this body which have been
the product Of British experience with
a merchant marine many times larger
than ours. may be protitably initiated by
the United States Shipping Board
while the supply OF the needs OF
our allies and OF our own expedition
airy forces is. Vt course. the first neces-
sity, It would be mistake TO regard
this as entirely apart and separate from
the maintenance of our neutral COM
nierce. especially OF that with Latin
America and Asia. They are OF much
dependent on us for merchandise which.
on account Of war conditions. is obtain
able nowhere else. "a we are on them
for indispensable military supplies.
Happily we seem to he in the way OF
having the corporation uf the larger
part Of Latin America In the prosecu-
ton Of the war. but should that not
come to pass we can still reckon on its
benevolent neutrality. We may realize
practically pan-Amcrtcarism by stead
fast recognition in principal and prac-
tice Of thu. economic ties between tho
United States and the other American
Republics Our country must continue
to. offer Il market for considerable
part Of the products OF Latin America,
and must see 10 II that adequate trans
portation is provided for the conveyance
of that merchandise. SO also. the
United States must stand ready TO serve
as n sourr" Of supply to tn" countries
Of Latin America of merchandise which
they can obtain nowhere else but which
Is necessary for their life and industry
and the development of their resources
which were interrupted three years ago.
The experts administrative board has
great opportunity in constructive wKork
in fostering trade with Latin America.
The needs Of our sister republics FOR the
articles Of export with which we can
supply them can be definitely determln-
ed, and q policy adopted calculated to
give them an assured source OF supply