The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1919-07-31
GERMANY SEEKS
RUSSIAN OUTLET
Believing Business Growth VIII be
Heavy in That Direction,
Prepares to Make
Move.
TBy Carl d. Groat, United Press
staff Correspondent

[By Carl d. Groat, United Press
Staff Correspondent
BERLIN. (By mail.)-Germany
lust now is striving hard to revive
the slogan, business as usual"
which plagued several nations during
the war until they learned that the
''as usual" didn't At with war.
With Germany at present, it is
struggle between many conflicting
elements not the least OF which are
decreased raw materials, rolling
stock, markets--and an impaired
labor supply due to war conditions,
lowered food, and industrial unrest.
But while the government has
been wrestling with Spartacus ana
near-Spartacus troubles; with
strikes; political agitation; new con-
situations and so on, German bust
ness men have been casting about
to get back to work and trade.
The flrst concrete evidence OF this
has Just come to light with the re-
port that a business mems commits
sion has been making three weeks
investigation in Russia with view
to finding an outlet for German pro-
ducts in that war-wearied land.
While much Of Russia is in chaos.
the business men were reported 20
feel that there is favorable out
look for them in that country.
Germany has considerable ma
chinery which she can export. one
big electrical supply house, accord
ing to information, has sufnc1ent pro-
ducts on hand for nearly year to
come. In this field. Germany has
been going onward, and will soon be
in the market to do business with
other nations. Before the war. she
could export many articles to foreign
markets and underselI home pro-
ducts. This probably will be rather
more difficult hereafter, because OF
limitation of coal and raw materials,
and constantly increasing cost Of
labor due to constantly recurring
strikes and constant growth OF the
socialization process.
One factor overlooked in general
discussions Of German business pros
poets is her supply Of potash. This
supply Is unaffected by the peace
treaty: and the world Is clamoring
for this for fertilizer purposes. And
Germany can get this product out at
only slightly Increased cost over her
previous price, while, at the same
time. she can demand more marks
for it than before in view Of the
lowered value of the mark. In this
way, she stands to gain considerably
from this one source alone.
This business should prove vast
again within a short time, thus en-
abling the country to obtain credits
for materials from foreign countries.
German business foresees that 1t
will be under vast load for long
period Of years, due to war debts
and indemnity taxes. But the aver
age German business man is pre-.
pared to go at his task anew II he
can get stable labor market and a
prospect of proflting later on.
Specialization, however, may upset
many of their plans, for there can be
no question that there is a constantly
increasing, trend toward specialization
of many lines of business. Until the
time comes, however, in which bust
ness Is state affair, the German
business man intends to go after
fresh trade, as evidenced by this
freshly completed Russian probe
Germany believes that it can reach
out to the east for business, and
this move shows that there is where
the trend is first going to be.
1t was reported that Russia could
undoubtedly give some agricultural
products, particularly eastern Rus
sian cotton. in return ror manurac
tlured goods This. however, will
probably depend largely on transpor
tation facilities which at present
appear to be in bad shape.