New-York tribune., 1918-04-20
Foreign Commerce Won't
Be Hampered by Lack Of
Ships, Says Farrell
South America Our
Great Opportunity
R. H. Patchin Tells Dele
gates at Cincinnati There
Are No Non-Essentials
[Stuf Co,respondence1


Foreign Trade Convention here are
convinced that the end Of the war will
find the United States prepared to Sc
cure her full share of worlds com
merce.
James A. Farrell, chairman of the
convention and president of the United
States Steel Corporation, at a banquet
here tonight which marked the high
spot of enthusiasm at the convention,
was cheered when he said:
"When the war has been won and a
great feet of ships return to the use of
peaceful ocean commerce the danger
of our foreign trade being hampered
by the lack of bottoms to carry it will
finally have passed away"
Mr.. Farrell pointed out that au-
tonomous control of our foreign going
shipping is only one of the requisites
for gaining and keeping overseas
commerce.
THE problems which before our en-
try INTO the war were peculiar to the
belligerent nations are now our own
problems; the employment of returned
soldiers, the displacement or further
utilization of female labor, the con-
version of war industries into agencies
for the fabrication of articles for
peaceful consumption, the readjust-
ment of the complex machinery of
finance. so as to conform to the re-
quirements of world large part of
which will be staggering under a load
of taxes, and in which the neutral ma
70
port for the maintenance and expan-
sion of their industries.
Big Market After the War
There can hardly be question that
for good many years after peace is
restored the rehabilitation of the vast
territory wasted by war and the re-
placement in neutral countries of
equipment which has suffered neces-
sarlly from deterioration, while re-
placements have been impossible, will
provide large outlA for surplus pro-
ductlon. Moreover. the creation of con-
ditions hitherto non-existent of equal
opportunity for international com
merce and in industrial enterprises
should so quicken the worlds demand
1or manufactured products as to insure
long period of industrial prosperity.
AT present our foreign trade, both
export and import, is Inevitably re-
strlcted by the scarcity of steamers
available for service other than that
OF transporting our armies to France
and of keeping them and our allies
supplied with necessary food and mu-
nitions. This condition is likely to
continue until the additional tonnage
unaer construction becomes available.
III the mean time there is obvious
he
against the time when the present re-
strictions have been removed and ado
quate transportation facilities are
AGAIN available. With our enormously
increased capacity in manufactures
and the natural products Of the mines.
ia7hs and forests, we shall have to
spare, added to the necessity for the
employment Of our merchant marine
which should amount by the end Of
next year to at least 10000 900 tons of
snipping, we shall be urgently in need
OF foreign markets."
Trade in South America
Robert II. Patchin. manager of the
iorcign department Of w. r. Grace E.
.o'' Or New York. told The convention
ms 1l topic, Essential and Non Essential
sa;d. sore'gn iFade'' was2 misleading. He
III should read. essential and less
essential foreign trade during the war
NO commerce created in peace bv hu-
essential
!. There is one phrase, 'super-essen-
,laF-that is. the export Of soldiers to
rance and the export Of the Germans
70 their own country under bonds to
keep the worlds ncace"
south America is one of the most
interesting continents on the man to
in said: q VIII
ne var has created greater COM
rmnunity of interest in TIE Western
hemlspherc than its geographical in
,eegrity or even the Monroe Doctrine.
Nine ,,ine nations have either followed the
hlted States into the war or have
oroHen diplomatic relations with Ger
many, despite the large and extremely
ac.lve German population and propa-
esnda throughout Latin America. This
action IL due in some instances to the
injuries which these nations have suf-
iered at the hands Of Germany. such az
VIC outraXes pcrpetratcd on Peruvian
fessels, but it :. more directly due to
= a recognition that, with the United
states and Canada in the war, the in
.sfesf Of the Latin American states lies
IN ,he cause against Germany"
Fifteen Indispensable Imports
ar. Patchin said that recent ANALYSIS
~ ~ our economic necessities showed the
; onited States normally required fifteen
indispensable imports, Of which ten arc
auIahu1acturing materials, wool, silk,
n.u.tes, ~.., cotton, rubber, hides, copper and
..shcf ores, including manganese and
s. sn, and nItrates; five are foodstuffs,
ssuxar' coffee. tea, cocoa and fruits
vne nI are luxuries except certain fruits
,:x "a addition 10 thcsc imports" con-
T..;ssd ar. Patchin, "wc derive from
a.ah America and Asia many which
Wy Wy ne considered lesg essential for
~, purposes, but which are indispcn-
g... ~ 10 industries which in the United
On asss support labor and yield return
sn.t invested capital. The extinction Of
''en industry Il unthinkablc."
e. ~ ". Rider. president Of the Amer-
.an a.. Chamber Of Commerce in Mexico.
IN. ~ group Of delegates that Ger
., mans, with customary preparedness
~ !nnyInx properties and business e.
sasD.iL''snmcntz in Mexico, evidently
,rsnang 10 control the conntry's com
ds.U.'ai actlvjties and industrial pro-
N.mse'nf mtf after the var.
.srmany, ne said, will have ur.
~. need after .ne war Of ran ma.
l.. ~, ~, Tor manufacturing, and she win
@.te '"i,Ted % find thozc suppjicg out
colonies. """ ner 'o"t
of ,s Ing merchants and manufacturers
~ s"s yrited 3tateg must not neglect
~ nfId. They eanno, awnrd tn ra