New-York tribune., 1919-09-26
British ha-GensxeloG
German Exports
Not Yet Assured
Announcement That Clear
ing House for Control of
Trade Would Be Estab.
lished Is ''|Premature" g"
Nem York Tribune
EuroDeun Rurrnu

NeW YORK Trihtre
Europedn Bureau
Copyright. 1919 New York Tribune Inc,
LONDON, Sept. 25.-There is a GEM
eral demand for more complete and
authoritative explanation of the sem
sational interview given out at Cologne
by Charles Knott. president of the
British Chamber Of Commerce in Ger.
many. IN which he outlined proposal
for British control of German exports
through license board and clearing
house established at Berlin. Unfortu
nately neither the government nor the
Board OF Trade is prepared to furnish
the desired explanation.
1t seems that the statement given out
tins week to The Tribune's correspond-
ent by the Intelligence Department of
the Board of Trade, that a clearing
mouse would soon be established at
London for the controi of German ex-
ports, Is considered premature bv the
higher officials of the organization. who
are quoted as "having moth ng to say
May Repudiate Scheme
Apparently Mr.. Knott's cautious in
terview, which does not directly in
volve the Board of Trade, since he is a
representative of the Chamber of Com
merce, was given out to test the state
OF British public opinion. Like other
unofficial emissares, Mr.. Knott can ex-
pect TO be repudiated if his scheme
does not meet with popular approval
but. as Will be pointed out later. there
is little reason to doubt that the gov
ernment is supporting the plan
AS result of insufficient nforma-
ton, however, there is little comment
on the proposed trade agreement in
this mornings papers. The ordinary
commentators upon economic ques-
tlons cannot express thcmse Ives on ac-
count of the lack of definite facts
Conservative and radical eXtrem sts
alike pick flaws in the suggestion
naturally for different reasons.
"The Morning Post stanch pro
tectionist organ which might be cx-
pected to sympathizc with the plan,
since its interests are bound up with
the manufacturers who would be helped
by the application of this stranglchold
to German industry, treats the matter
IN sarcastic spirit. 1t is absolutely
convinced that the British government
planned this coup, but sees in govern
mcnt control a serious menace to pro-
tectionlst interests.
Wants Government Explanation
I'VE should be very much surprised, y
says THE Post" "to learn that the
Board of Trade does not apnrcciate
the serious implications of this scheme
It IS adroitly suggested that the Ger
man government has made this highly
dlslnterested concession to British
trading interests. We ask with inter
est how the German government could
conceivably have acted in This manner
unless negotiations to this end were
conducted by the British government
Frankly, we utterly 'fall TO understand
the position OF the government, which
seems to require some very definite ex-
plantations. II will be interesting to
see If British manufacturers Will con
sent to the regulation OF Eng glands en-
tire German trade by British official
actually working in a German govern
ment department and granting licenses
at his discretion We admit that we
are more interested in British than in
German industrial prosperity. but it is
becoming quite clear that the indus
tries OF this country must help them.
selves, for they will get no effective
AID from the government"
Hc L oSt taxes lnlS attitude as a
confirmed critic OF the government. but
manufacturers who are not necessarily
against the government so long as it
acts IN accordance with their interests
are outspoken in approval Of tie plan,
1T will give us a nice trade balance to
work on one manufacturer declared
I'm pre-war days my trade imported
from Germany twice what it exported. ."
Liberal opinion, with its inclination
toward Tree trade, is not particularly
interested in the suferings of Britis h
manufacturers but there is a tendency
TO approve Mr.. Knots plan because
as was pointed out yesterday. it viii
detnltcly stop all agitation against
trading with Germany and because il
VIII overcome the present difficulties
OF exchange and bring buyer and seller
toge her. Since, under the proposed
arrangement British merchants are
to send some Of their raw materials to
Germany to be manufactured and Ger
man manufacturers VIII accept raw
materials IN payment for their prod
ucts, form OF barter will be estab-
lisncd which viii make trade poss bic
in spite OF the unfavorable condition
Of the German exchange. "This," says
THE Westminster Gazette" a Liberal
organ, land not the supposed check on
dumping is the real merit OF the
PROPOSAL"
Tine London Daily News" and its
evening edition, The Star" both de-
mand fuller explanations OF the plan
The News points out that if, as Mr.
Knott declares, the German military
spirit is dead forever and Germany is
in no position to dump goods on the
English market, it is not clear why the
establishment of c.easing houses, H.
censo bureaus, etc, is neces sary
British Manufacturers Worried
One answer to this argument, of
course. is the fact that British manu-
facturers are becoming worried over
present Industrial conditions. AS an
illustration OF their state oi mind. a
ceputation of motor-car manu- acturers
called yesterday On Sir Auckland Ged
des. Minister Of Reconstruction, TO pro
test against the importation Of Ameri-
can cars. It was shown That with
odds Of 45 per cent in their favor they
were not able to make good against