The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1917-04-13
SEES HUGE
TRADEWHEN
WARS over
Commercial Expansion
Sure to Follow, Says
E Leroy Pelletier
MERCHANT SHIPS
WILL PLY OCEAN
Business With Foreign
Nations Due For
Tremendous Impetus

Z. LsRoy Pelletier. advertising
agent. with offices in the Fine Arts
building. declares that he looks FOR
a tremendous commercial expansion
following the war.
Il will say frankly" said Mr.. Pei.
letter. that I am one OF those who
hoped this country would not so 20
war. but now that we are In IL. We
are going 90 make the most OF II,
and in reviewing the situation can
not see anything but prosperity 20
follow.
AS a result OF the sinking OF a
tremendous number OF merchant
ships by the submarines. We are to-
Cay rejuvensting our shipyards and
adding 10 them At tremendous
rate. and whesi the war ends We win
have these great plants already
equipped and manned by experien-
Ced men TO 90 on building a mer-
chant marine for ourselves.
we have. in fact. by the seizure
OF the German ships, acquired a
large number OF very excellent boats
which We will doubtless keep on
some terms 10 be decided In Wash
ington. In other words, we win have
a merchant marine aud We will use
IL.
heretofore we Americans have
been satisfied 10 supply our own
country with its necessities and have
given scant thought 10 the develop
ment OF our foreign trade.
The extension OF foreign credits
was the FIRST requisite 20 the devel-
opment OF that trade. and, hereto
fore. with the gold balance on the
other side Of the Atlantic. cur imam
eiers were not eager for mat bust
ness.
Now all that IS changed. We are
today the custodians 81 more gold
than all the other countries OF the
world combined Money here IS
cheaper than ever before, and our
bankers are searching for places TO
put II At interes. rates aud on terms
that would no; formerly have been
considered.
~Inasmuch as We are now the only
lending nation. the newer countries
Of South. America and South Africa.
Nhieh have always been heavy Dor
rowsrs, must. OF necessity, look 10
us as their source Of supply
Before the var Il was actually
cheaper and quicker 10 send goods
from New York 20 Han burg and
thence to South America than 81
ship direct, simply because there
we're no big lines runnins between
the United States and these coun-
tries.
This IL rapidly being uged BY
necessity. We win only be follow
ipg the way OF least resistance Oy
maintaining these routes.
Naturally the banking connec-
tons which are now being formed
between this country and those 9th
ers viii be accompanied BY the es-
adjustment OF commercial relations
This IL our great opportunity
and whether the war lasts for sew
erAl years. or happily may be more
speedily terminated. cannot see
but that America must reap a rich
harvest for many years 20 come
we are starting out on an era OF
commercial expansion that "a vastly
greater than even we, ourselves, ap-
prectate, and IL n going 10 mean that
America will hereafter be q world
power in commerce even more than
| IN diplomatic Affairs
Another thing that is going 10 act
a. tremendous foEce in The s1pan-
sion OF American foreign trade. n
the establishment OF csmocracies,
not one but several OF which I verify
believe will closely follow mis- war
"Democracies have no commercial
tealousies. They have no desire FOR
territorial aggrandizement. they
teal with one another in the most
friendly fashion and on the one ba.
gis Of quality az the price"