New-York tribune., 1918-01-17
The Threatened Economic War
Why Germany Aba5doned Trade for Military Conquest
and The Consequence to America
By John Burroughs

Tho possible Interpretation that may be
put upon II phrase in the Presidents late
address before Congress about the removal Of
economic barriers and the establishment Of an
equality Of trade conditions among all ma
tions should give US pause. If the President
is thinking of free trade, with Germany, do
not believe he will find the country with him.
For my own part, l have always favored n
revenue tariff but conditions are likely to
arise after the war that will make high pro-
tcctive tariff absolutely necessary. We do not
want deliberately to help Germany get ready
for the next war.
Having failed in her grand attempt to
achieve the military conquest of the world,
Germany is now planning, as soon as peace is
declared to her scheme Of economic
conquest which the war interrupted and of
which it was an integral part. The main
purpose of the to achieve quickly
what her trade too slow in accomplish
ing to satisfy her national ambition.
President Wilson in his address at Buffalo
before the labor organizations wondered why
Germany had abandoned her campaign Of in
dustra conquest Of the world for the con-
quest Of arms. Had he read little volume by
Professor Maurice Milioud, of the University
of Lausanne, lately published, called "The
Ruling Caste and Frenzied Trade of Ger
many" he would have found light upon the
subject
For many years Germany has turned the
main force Of her industrial energy into
manufacturing, and did not produce enough
food to support her population. Her manc
featuring output was getting ahead of the
market. The expense Of living of her people
was getting higher and higher, and the re-
turns for capital invested were getting lower
and lower. Great Britain was producing
more goods Of all kinds than formerly, as
the United States, and the struggle for
markets had become acute.
Political Slavery Sought
Germany saw that she could not impose
her scheme of economic slavery upon the
world, and to prevent serious breakup al
home she determined to impose a political
slavery upon it by force Of arms. Indirectly
she went to war to make market for her
goods If she could destroy France and
cripple England, she could await her oppor-
tunity to cripple the United States.
War may achieve in year two what
trade could not accomplish in generations.
Had the German arms in that tremendous
drive quickly taken Paris, as they so conf
IDENTIFY expected to do, they would have robbed
France Of sum of money SO huge that it
would have impoverished that country for
generations and filled the German Golfers to
ovcriowing. The burden of home taxation in
Germany would have been greatly lessened
and the bonuses paid to manufacturers easily
increased.
In one generation Germany reduced her
agricultural population by onehalf and threw
ten millions of her people into manufacture
and trade. This crowd Of industrial workers
had to be looked after, market had to be
found for their increased and increasing out
put, and the capital employed had to receive
adequate returns. But the increase of sales
abroad did not keep pace with the growing
cost of living at home. The junkers and the