Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1918-06-13

servient to it, must be overthrown and the worlds
commerce freed from serious dangers If this Is
to be effected the whole German idea Of trading
must be modified.
Economic penetration" has long been recog-
nized in Germany one of the most important
functions Of the state The highest In the empire,
kings princes, mobiles and hereditary land mag
nates have We'd in showing their interest in all In
dustrial and commercial enterprises Of magnitude
and In promoting in every possible to them the
expansion German trade, while chancellors, cab
met officers and members of parliament have prac-
tcally been at the beck and call of corporations
and individuals embarkfng on new undertakings
on a large scale. The state In many lines has be-
come the partner OF leading promoters and In cases
where capital is risked in enterprises, which IT
successful must rebound to the benefit of the en-
pire. that capital is practically guaranteed against
loss. Should the enterprise itself be revealed as
practicable, but be jeopardized by incompetency or
dishonesty the state will find why to step in. to
protect the outside investor and turn the enter
prise to success. Differently from what occurs In
certain democratic countries. the German
state does not stand aloof from trade and indus
try. does not eye "big business" with cold suspi
cion or permit the legislative bodies to modest 1t
with multitude Of pin-pricking laws. The kaiser
poses the friend and associate of great NUM-
lions manufacturers visits with Westphalian coal
barons. presides at the launching Of steamships
owned by private corporations and lends the en-
ceuragement Of his presence to the cutting OF
canals. the making OF automobiles, or shoes, OF
carpets by private enterprise. The whole attitude
of the state toward trade is different in Germany
By instinct, it Is possible that the kaiser. the
have as little desire to come in contact with the
ordinary mortals who are 'in trade as certain IL
tied Britons have but Germany duty to the state
overcomes the repugnance. The one supreme duty
of NIL is to promote the military might of the state
for In this way alone can Germanys greatness be
assured.
But military power in these times is dependent
on economic power. The nation with the most
money can win wars, is the crude commercial way.
in which the idea has been phrased In other coun-
tries. Germany has different notions but admits
tho hard IN ct- and mtutartSm are inter-
related And as the warfare of today has called
for new methods on the battlefield. so 1t also de-
mands new forms Of aid from commerce. Through
trade and commerce the armed forces OF the nauon
can deliver some of their telling blows. Since.
In the present hour, whether one likes 1t or not
the fact established that the army Is more than
ever dependent commerce. the army must now
work for trade and trade must work Tor the army.
This reasoning furnished as the fundamental
justifying motive for the law on civil conscr1puon
in Germany. and the German government II IL
endures expected push the principle as v1gor-
ously after the 1t does now. Even II Ger
many lost the war, 1t is affirmed, she can count on
triumphing ultimately through her trade methods-
How vigorously Germany Is working on this pr1n-
chile Is best realized from the fact that since the
beginning Of the war, and to greatly Increased
extent in the past year, the German government
manufacturing and commercial concerns In Ger
many engaged in foreign business and Is using the
government resources In the combinations The
facts this regard known from other sources are
confirmed by the complaints of the smaller Ger
man concerns left out of the combination and de
prfved not merely of all financial and commercial
participation. but also OF all knowledge Oh tne ous
ness operations In which the government and Dig
business are engaged. It is this apparently estab
rshed fact of the union of the government with
the most important of the German firms transact
Ing business abroad which the basis for much of
the concern manifested in the countries of the al
Hes regarding the German method OF handling
trade and commeFce and the future evils which 1t
forecastA