The sun., 1917-08-27
GERMAN FIGHT FOR.
NEUTRAL MARKETS
"Going After Export Trade
No Matter How the War
Ends"
DESIGNS ON NEAR EAST
Plans to Make Strong Cam
paign in South and Gen.
tral America.

may be the outcome of the war, Ger
many Is going to mako as active a can
vass for the export trade as Its re-
sources and financial condition at the
end Of the war will allow" is the warn.
Ing given American business men to.
day by the Department Of Commerce.
The aims OF Germany to capture the
great neutral markets Of South and
Central America, Spain and the Near
East as well as neighboring countries
are disclosed in report just made
available to American business by the
Bureau of Foreign and Domestic Com
merce written by Chauncey ID. Snow
after thorough investigation and study.
Mr.. Snow was In Germany investisat-
Ing Industrial conditions when tho war
broke out. He says:
writers In the German press at this
time acknowledge there Is bound to be
prejudice against German products In
the markets Of the countries now hostile
to Germany. With an assured COM
mercial hostility in such vast markets
1t Is obvious that German export trade
must make the most Of the few remain
ing neutral markets. In the great neu-
trail markets Of South and Central
America--in which American exporters
are more than ever directly Interested
in Spain and in other countries not ac-
tively involved In hostilities German
competition after the war will be par
ticuhrly severe. At the present time
German oversee commerce Is reduced to
practically nothing.
THE German exporters. however. are
endeavoring to keep In touch with their
foreign markets and are doing every
thing they can to preserve their good
will in those markets. In the neutral
countries Of Scandinavia, the Neither
lands and Switzerland Germany has
continued to do a considerable export
business. Manufacturers in some lines
since the outbreak of the war have paid
special attention to these countries and
have actually won larger share OF the
trade than they had before. because of
the difficulties those countries have had
in obtaining ample. prompt and regular
shipments by water.
Planning Campo igns.
German exporters are already plan
ming campaigns for extending their busi-
ness in the Near East. Some Of the
German writer's on foreign trade urge
the advisability Of making the most of
the German opportunities In that region
and are pointing out that IL SUFFICIENT
energy we're bestowed on the develop
ment OF Mesopotamia 1t would become a
second Egypt
They are pointing out that the thing
for Germany to do Is to establish itself
so firmly in the countries to the east
that in any future contingency Germany
would have overland communication
with big and fourishing markets and
sources Of supply for raw materials all
Al.A =
the Red Sea. The German Levant banks
are already there. Germany has already
taken a hand in the construction of
railroads In the Near East, and II the
Germans can further irrigation and the
growth OF industries In that section
Germany's future in world trade will be
more secure. The Near East is ap-
parently one OF the great fields where
German competition will be keenest.
Among the preparations for the
period following the war the interna-
tonal movements between Germany and
Austria Hungary are most interesting.
In the common cause OF war the two
empires have been brought very close
following the war they will remain In
the closest Of economic-possibly. also.
politicsl--relations. Bulgaria and Tur-
key likewise have been brought closer
to the two great Central Powers by the
war. and less clearly formulated efforts
are being made to align them with Ger
many and Austria Hungary when the
was stops
American Problems.
"In looking to the future. the United
States has many OF the same problems
as Germany and the other warning ma
tlons. Like the German exporters. tho
American exporters have to face a
period Of sharp business competition In
foreign countries such as probably has
never before been met. In Germany the
Individual business man. all the local
and great national associations Of busi-
ness men and tho Government depart
ments are even now strenuously occu-
pied with the problems that must be
worked out The American business
mems associations and the Government
departments are alive 10 the Importance
of these matters. and upon their indi-
vidual and cooperative efforts through
the coming critical years will depend in
large measure the nations future in
international commerce.
TN the German commercial high
schools at the present time emphasis is
more than ever being laid on the higher
III pIcEdT LOT IoTtlkU ITdue.
At tho Commercial High School In Ber-
lin for the winter semester l916-l7 l15
separate courses OF instruction were Of
fered. OF special interest are the
courses on the general science Of world
trade; the political and economic or
ganizations of the world war and their
effect upon It's operation German coop
erative organization as a result Of tho
war; coal and iron the economic chem
istry Of vegetable and animal products !:
valuation. treatment and utilization Of
grain and the establishment of grain
elevators; the study Of machinery; the
commercial geography Of France and
Italy: economic conditions in Russia,
Russian language; courses In French,
italian and Spanish; elementary and ad-
vanced Turkish.
"At the same time. that Is. In 1915, in
the midst Of the war. the University Of
Berlin was offering no less than ninety
four courses Of study especially referred
to as preparing for commerce and In
dustry' There were In the curriculum
specialized courses In world trade, COM
mercial geography and language courses
In Danish. Swedish. English. French.
italian. Spanish. Polish. Arabic. Russian
and Turkish"