Evening star., 1918-10-13

| ~. to the future economic
VV4u1tAouS. and business condi-
tions which must be faced by the
United States in competition with
| other nations at the conclusion OF
| the war.
| In this connection experts OF the
bureau of foreign and domestic COM
merce have just completed an ex-
haustive study into economic recon-
struction. The study covers the work
being done along this line in the va
rious nations of the world, friend and
| foe alike.
participation by the government in
the economic activities of the country.
there are noticeable. the experts say,
some very ambitious plans for after
war trade and industry among pri-
vate organizations. concurrent with
changes in the government admins
| trative machinery to promote such
! plans. This tendency will be found
in the movement toward concentra-
| tion in industry and finance In Ger
| many and in Great Britain, In the
establishment of new departments of
commerce in the two countries. Plans
for the reorganization of the con-
sulaE service and technical education
in Greet Britain, the extension of
| waterways in France, Germany and
Austria Hungary, Reorganization of
| credit institutions in Great Britain
and France and restoration of mer-
| chant marine are features of the same
| tendency.
| The outstanding fact in the reports
made by the bureaus experts is the
recognition in every land and by all
statesmen of the problem called
| economic reconstruction" But Of
even more immediate Importance is
| the fact that England. France. Italy,
preparations to resume their peaceful
| economic life, with improved facil-
| ities for foreign trade. with a ma
tional supervision of the use of nat
ural resources for the benefit of their
own citizens, and with assistance from
| the state.
| 1t is fully realized by our officials
here that many plans advocated or
adopted in the foreign countries are
unsuitable or even unnecessary for the
United States. Still, it is felt that
these plans should be pointed out, as
| interests of the United States in for
eign fields if they should be adnninis-
tered in a mar ow spirit or If the
United States should fail to mako
plain its own interest in them.
! Although the various countries will.
for while. it is felt. undoubtedly
work toward economic self-sufficiency
! and toward the elimination of enemy
| interests in the exploitation of their
resources. it is essential that each of
tho allied countries should frame it's
program and the administration of it's
program with full realization of the
extent to which the interests of all
the other allied countries are involved.
| There is no reason to anticipate a
l purely selfish spirit on the part of any
! i,f = sex< Sf1
| evitable. reallt-that they should plan
as soon as possible to recover their
( Industrial. commercial and financial
equilibrium. 1t is for US, however. the
bureau experts point out, to stand
ready to enter. at the proper moment,
our appreciation of the community of
interest in the larger aspects of trade
and economic intercourse after the
war. and which will be in harmony
with the motives underlying our par
! ticipation in the war.
| 1t is to be remembered that our own
government has already put certain
laws on the statute books which will
prove of great assistance in the after
war period. and that many of our gov
ernment offices have done much. either
directly or indirectly, in contempla-
tion of the reconstruction period. The
| governments greatest preparation for
I after-war trade is the construction
and organization of a large merchant
| navy, backed by large and efficient
shipyardS and docks.
* x
| Before 1914 practically all the flint
| metallurgic and cement
Flint mills in this country were
! p.,., imported. This was one
of the supplies for which
the United States was dependent on
Europe. Now experts of the geological
survey announce with satisfaction that
approximately 1900 tons of grinding
pebbles for tube mills and 5000 tons of
silica tube-mill liners were produced
and sold in this country last year. Be-
sides these quantities of grinding peb-
bles and liners reported by the survey,
| considerable unreported quantities of
pebbles and blocks of rock and ore were
collected and used by cement mills.
| It was reported that the flint and un-
ground fintstones imported for con-
sumption last year were valued at $19,-
| 156. This value represents about $4,000
tons, part of which, possibly 10 per
cent, was 'bowlder fints" ground for
use in ceramic wares. 1t appears. there
fore, that about 10000 tons of tube
mill lining and grinding pebbles were
used in this country last year, and
more than SO per cent of the demand
! is said that the domestic substitutes
for imported f1ints have given satis-
faction, and have been no more expen-
sive-some have been less expensive
than the French, Danish and Belgian
materials-facts attested to by reports
of the consumers.
| The reports which experts of the sur
vey have show that the silica Innings
| made from rocks at the three prlnclpal
sources of supply in the United States
have been wholly satisfactory. Inc
material used is practically pure silica.
| tough hard and resistant to wear, ana
the Innings furnished have been care
fully shaped to dimensions. All manu-
facturers report increasing business
with repeat orders from their custo-
I; mers. The three sources of supply are
| located in California, Nevada and MIN
nesota. The pebbles in California have
been gathered on the beaches.
* X
! 1t has been necessary since we en-
tered the war for the Navy Depart
ment to place con-
1r tracts unprecedented
in number and size
Contracts. under conditions also
without precedent. Contracts for new
vessels have involved many especially
difficult problems. In addition to the
statutory requirements applicable to
all government contracts. special
ilaw passed in 1886 governing the
method of placing contracts for naval
vessels it authorized was re-enacted
in successive naval appropriation bills
for many years. Although this law
has not been enacted of late years. the