The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1918-04-19
DENIES RUM0RS OF
ALLIED TRADE PLANS

Flat denial that our European allies
arc even considering plans To injure
our trade after the war was made
Yesterday before the NTH national
foreign trade convention at Cincin-
natl nv Purwell $ CulleS chef of
the bureau of foreign ana domestic
commerce, department of commerce.
"In Europe" said Mr., Cutter. here
is taking place a wide and thorough
economic reorganization that seems
to NIL with alarm many persons on
this side OF the ocean We find
amongst our countrymcn a vague
idea that we are being legislated
against even by our own allies, that
our greatest associate is planning a
national raid on the foreign trade OF
the world in such force that we may
be driven from the field unless we
are speedily retaliative. This fear
finds expression in the frequent ques-
ton as to what our government is I
going to do to protect our foreign
trade
at seems to mo that nothing could /
be more dangerous and unfair d this
time than the hasty ption OF
hurtful purposes on the part of our
allies, or the assumption of a reces-
sity to act quickly in some direction.
no matter in what direction If there
ever was n time in our history when
we should analyze carefully 10 the
end of elm mating all eXtraneous fac
tors so that only the basic facts are
left IN front of us. il is now. \ mis-
step might very well he fatal II 1t
took the form of action that would
antagoni2e a large part of our com
mercial allies, or indeed suhstan-
rial ma RI nf business COM
munity. Neither do we want to be
drawn into the enactment of any mea-
sures which are scientific, unsound
and will not stand the strain of the
new human relationship brought
about by the world conflict and not
yet completely formulated.
The speaker took up in some de
tail the measures taken by the Brit
iSh government which have had, or
may have. some influence on the trade
between nations. such as the defense
of tho realm act. the non-ferrous
metals bill. the tenn porary imports
and exports control bill, the recon
struction OF the British ministry for
the better PROMOTION and regulation
Of foreign trade. and the establish
ment Of q foreign trade banking cor
poration. Particular attention was
paid TO the investigation OF every con
+
taken by total OF eighty-seven
British committees, the main con
Germ of which will be an inventory
OF raw materials controlled in one
/ way or another by British influence.
The reports Of these committees will
inspire legislation having for its pur-
+ pose scientific distribution of such
raw materials after the war.
Our English compatriots." cx~
Z nt e. Nv &c bar
correctly and hear them accurately,
grade the claims OF raw materials as
/ follows. First. the regions of battle,
T second. the nations fighting for de-
mocracy who have been forced to
] give up their trade in behalf of the
! interest common to all our allies;
/ third neutral nations who have in
nocently and helplessly suffered;
, fourth, the other nations Of the earth
for whose eventual prosperity we
I must plan under an obligation that is
( more remote but lust as positive.
Whether or not we ourselves sub
! scribe TO such a plan or to any part
| of it, it is our paramount interest to
see that Immediately on the declara-
/ ton Of peace there does not follow
wild and desperate scramble on the
| part of SPECTATORS for the materials
/ that we and our heroic allies must
/ have in sufficient quantities 10 main
/ tain our people in usfeul occupation.
/ If a lopsided distribution of materials
/ should lead to excess of industry in
one part OF the world while another
| part has little or nothing with which
J to feed its machines or put on its
| store shelves, there would result a
| labor revolution and possibly another
| international war,
To-day we stand as guardians for
mankind of precious materials in
/ abundance. a long list of them origi-
mating in our own soil. Our obvious
/ duty is to keep enough of them for
! the normal consumption of our own
manufacturers and merchants. That
! much is fundamental The principle
! of distribution of surplus has al
/ ready been established and put into
practice by our war charge; that prin-
ciple is not altered by making our
peace time surplus what remains
after normal absorption at home in
stead of what is realized by forced
economy In time of var
ut seems 20 me that no arbitrary
control under the authority OF laws
already existing amongst our COM
petitors or in process of adoption can
possibly displace this country from
its position Of chief proVider during
the first few years of reconstruction
Our vast stock OF materials and the
Industrial and mercantile organiza "
tion still left intact and undestroyed
by war will attract the great bulk
OF all orders for goods from every
region where dissatisfaction OF com
merCial needs had been accumulat-
ing for the past three or four years.
Inevitably our chief trouble will he
one of satisfying our foreign Gus
toners in every part of the world
on basis of something like equal
distribution. II we are best by any
difficulty requiring n new or modified
national policy, II will be a difficulty
emanating from too much pros
perity,"