The daily banner. (Cambridge, Md.) 1897-2008, 1918-01-15
WARNING GERMAN
BUSINESS men
Trade Boycott if Government COntin-
ueS MilitariStic-A Referendum;
Submitted-TO be Acted Upon b!
American Merchants.

w JAN. 1o.--hlllcIICSt
business men are asked in a referen-
dunn submitted today by the Cham
Der of Commerce of the United
States to pass upon a proposed warn
ing TO German industrial leaders
leaders that they cannot hope to re
sumo friendly commercial relations
with the United States after the war
unless the German government has
become a responsible instrument of
the people.
1t is proposed that the Germans
be told that the United States, in
common with other nations, supplied
raw materials with which Germany
made ready to start the world war,
and that the lesson has been learned.
Newspapers and business men of neu
tral countries will be relied upon to
carry the message.
The referendum. suggested by the
Boston Chamber of Commerce, anu
now laid before half million bust
ness men throughout their CONNER
cial organizations, submits this resO
luton:
Whereas, the size of Germany's
present armament and her militaris-
tic attitude have been due to the
fact that her government is mill
tary autocracy, not responsible to
the German people; and,
Whereas, the size of the German
armament after the war will be the
measure of the greatness of the arm
ament forced on all nations; and,
Whereas, careful analysis of eco
nomic conditions shows that the size
of Germany's future armament will
fundamentally depend on her after
war receipts of raw materials ana
profits from her foreign trade; and,
Whereas, in our opinion the
American people for the purpose of
preventing an excessive armament
will assuredly enter an economic
combination against Germany if gov
ernmental conditions in Germany
make it necessary for self-defense;
and.
Whereas, we believe the Ameri-
can people will not join in discrimi-
nation against German goods after
the war if the danger of excessive
armament has been removed by the
fact that the German government
has in reality become responsible
instrument controlled by the German
people; therefore, be it
ReSOlNou, Indl InS VI
Commerce of the United States of
America, earnestly calls the atten-
ton of the business men OF Ger
many to these conditions and urges
them also TO study this situation and
to cooperate to the end that dis
astrOus economic war may be aver
ted and that a lasting peace may be
made more certain
nr-r-inS
says a statement from the Chambers
headquarters, the Industrial leaders
Of Germany, who, with the military
party, constitute the most powerful
caste in Germany, will be bluntly
Told {. & err ass Z. =
responsible government to conclude
a just peace or suffer the consequent
| ces of an outlaw after the war.
She will be denied economic in
tercourse with her best customer
| the United States. The message
could not fail of it's purpose as Ger
many cannot hope for years to come
to reestablsh satisfactory trade rela-
| tions with Great Britain. Italy or
France.
No single action by the United
States can be calculated to go fur
ther than this proposed action or
| American business men. 1t is more
potent in its authority, perhaps, than
any similar warning coming from Of
| fetal sources. The difference lies in
| the fact that Germany might doubt
whether Congress would sanction a
! treaty with the Allies for trade
boycott of Germany or that the peo-
! pie would abide by such a treaty
were it made. This, on the other
hand, would be direct notice to Ger
man business men that the business
men of America have taken con-
| certed stand to close trade to Ger
many as long as it remains an out
! law
! The further fact should be borne
! in mind that the proposal to discrim-
! mate against German trade after the
war is not at variance with the
! Presidents announced policy not to
! continue after the war policies which
would engender hatred among the
nations. Quite the contrary, it
might be said to constitute the sec
ond great drive to compel RESPONSE
! BILE government in Germany, the first
! being directed to the Constitutional
lists within the empire"