Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1918-11-29
GERMANS LAYING
PLANS TO GRAB
MEXICAN TRADE

tsv soHsnG JOURNAL SPECIAL LEASED wlRsl
Ell Paso, Tex, Nov. 2S.--Ameriean
trade relation with Mexico now that
the war has ended. is interesting bus
mess men and students of economy on
the border.
German agents, operating through
officials on the German empire, con-
Quoted a systematic campaign
throughout Mexico to discredit Amer
lean made goods This was done with
definite view toward trade condi-
tions after the war. This was carried
to the point of organizing a boycott in
number of places in Mexico. while
in others the most unfair methods of
damaging American goods before they
were offered for sale were resorted
to by German agents.
All of thes activities had for their
| purpose the replacing of American
made goods with German made goods
after the war. Knowing that open
market for goods made In Germany
would be restricted by prejudice and
| economic barriers, the Germans
shrewdly calculated to retain Mexico
! and also South American countries
! where possible. as their trade zone.
Since Europe has been practically
eliminated from the Mexican trade
during the war Mexico has learned to
| depend upon the United States for
many things previously purchased
abroad. This has tended to overcome
certain prejudices against American
| goods and merchandise in this coun-
try and in Europe. This condition
did not extend to all lines of trade,
| for the United States has long con-
| trolled the machinery and grocery
| supply business of Mexico. But
4 dresses, perfumes, art goods and
clothing TO some extent have been
bought abroad and the Made in
France or Made in Germany prod
ucts We're preferred before the war.
4 An effort was also made by German
mining men to obtain control of the
vast storehouses of metals IN Mexico.
A company was organized having It's
Headquarters in Germany I buy up
all possible mining properties, smeiter
and smelter railroads. One company
4 did gain control but the necessity for
/ having a ready market prevented the
combination form gaining control as
/ it was found that competing COM
panies sell to allied countries al a
/ large profit because of the wartime
demands for metals and could pay
1 larger salaries and more wages. This
I 1
i sons of non-German blood.
Il At one time the German imperial
government was reported to be d.
i rectly interested in a chain of stores
i which were established IN northern
4 Mexico with smaller branches in pros
porous settlements. These stores
/ were located where Americans were
the most active and the employees al
ways boasted that they were expected
to control more trade than the Amer
leans These stores are in operation
Inow but have been much restricted in
their commercial activities during the
1 war, due to the blacklist against them
and their inability to get German
goods
/ A phase of the German trade prop
Uganda was shown in Mexico during
4 the recent influenza epidemic. Drugs
| were restricted for importation to
Mexico until the epidemic swept over
the republic. Then it was modified.
I'm the meantime Germans arranged
4 through Spanish or other neutrals to
buy quantities of drugs which they