The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1918-03-30
Germans Plan
To Recapture
World Market
Organization Formed to Reach Out
for Trade After End of War

schemes for the recapture of the
worlds markets after the war have
beer formed by the German merchant
prices, Judging from various an
Inducements which have been made
in the German newspapers. Most no
table are the plans for the resump-
ton of the German transatlantic
trade as soon as the war is over.
The German program runs on two
parallel lines: The pushing of ship
building at home and the financing OF
German enterprises abroad. To carry !
out that object, central mercantile
institution has been established at
Hamburg, whose task is to study, fos-
ter and finance German Commercial
interests abroad, on the lines, so the
Ioriginators say, of the American In
ternational Corporation of New York. !
The prospectus of the new German
institution, which takes the form OF
an incorporated concern, says that it
will undertake, carry on hand and
conduct all classes Of business in for
eign ports-railroad and street car
systems, irrigation and electric
PLANTS, power stations, factories and
mines. 1t will also act as general
FIRE ghters and shippers. Before TIL,
new concern had definite existence,
81 ,OOOOO of the $1,250,OOO of its pro.
jected capital had already been sub
scribed.
Quick building of merchant ships 10
to Germany the most important ques-
ton and also the most difficult, as it
is fully expected that the German
shipbuilding industry will be heavily
loaded with work for the. imperial
navy, for some time after the declara-
tion of peace. Fully one-half, or pos
sibly two-thirds, Of Germany's ship
ping capacity must be built afresh
said Director Huldermann, of tho
Hamburg American line, to an inter-
viewer recently.
To cope with the stream of orders
both for government and private ac-
count, almost all dockyards and slip
ways in Germany have been, and are
being, enlarged, the cost of which is
net partly out of the past few years
handsome profits, and partly by new
loans. New yards are springing up
in, or near, all the principal harbor
towns. The building of concrete
ships on a large scale on newly in
vented system, which is said to be
cheaper and better than any other, is
to be taken up with great energy at
Hamburg especially.
The latest development in the way
Of financing these shipbuilding enter
prises is the projected creation of a
chain Of shipping mortgage banks. In
sarance companies are also launching
out in this direction.
The question of raw materials
seems likely to prove extremely diff
ficult No progress had been made
with the keel of the giant trans-Atlan-
tic liner Hindenburg which was part
ly destroyed by fire some time ago A
fully equipped and completed ocean
greyhound, the Columbus, which was
to have made her maiden voyage to
New York in October, 1914, is still
lying in port there. AS soon as peace
Genes, it is announced, she will sail
for New York.
Ali these arrangements and
schemes are made In the firm belief
that Germany after the war will be
able to carry on business as usual
or even more so. That disappoint-
ment may be in store does not appal
emily enter the Teutonic mind. Deal
ing with "the future position Of the
German merchant" Professor Hellau-
or Of Berlin. writes in the commercial
section of the North German Gazette
that Germany's trade positions abroad
have only been captured at some
points. and then only by Americans
and Japanese AS to the future ne
thinks these positions cannot be per-
manent1y held, for, he says, Amerl-
can and Japanese goods have only
found a market there because there
was M other choice, and buyers will !
gladly take the opportunity to return
n "the old shop" and he adds: III
after the war, we shall encounter eVl-
dence of greater energy and organi-
zation on the part of the enemy We
too. have learned good deal and we
shall conquer the world market just
as we conquered in the war"
CBy Associated Press) |
Honolulu. T. H., March 29.-The
fiery nit of Halemaumau in which up