New-York tribune., 1919-07-10
BUSINESS NEWS BUREAUs
Tribune Building
1S4 Nassau Street
C.zechO-Slovakian
/ Factories Ready
For Production
Manufactured Articles Can
Be Exported Few Weeks
I After Raw Materials Are
+ Obtained, Says DIR. Pisecky

American exporters and importers
are not alive to the possibilities Of re-
ciprocal trade with the newly estab-
lished Czecho-Slovak Republic, accord
ing to DR.. V. Pisecky, general manager
of the Bohemia Joint Stock Bank OF
Prague and head of a commercial mis-
sion which the infant nation has sent
to this country.
I'VE are finding it comparatively
easy" he said yesterday, Ito reestab-
lish relations between firms in our
country and concerns here who tor
merly traded with each other, but we
feel that the amount of commerce thus
obtained is insufficient for our needs.
What We want to do is to get in touch
with commercial concerns who never
before exported American goods TO our
country or imported our goods"
What Czecho-Slovakia needs immed'-
ately, as stated by DR.. Pisecky, are
foodstuffs and raw materials. such as
wool, cotton, coal, coke and metal ores,
principally copper and zinc. The fac
tories of the new state, which, accord
&s- to members of DR.. Pisecky's staff,
cx,.stitute 80 per cent Of the manu-
Securing capacity Of what was for
merly Austria Hungary, are in posi-
".ion to operate Immediately upon the
receipt of these raw materials. In
three or four weeks after the receipt
of raw materials the famous Bohemian
porcelain, china, ceramics, toys, fancy
goods, jewelry, principally garnets,
buttons, musical instruments, metal
ware, enamel ware, matches, paper,
gloves and similar manufactured ar
ticles would be ready for export.
Financial Position Good
1.-The financial position of Czecho
Slovakia is particularly good" said DR..
Pisecky. "Most people do not know
that Nthe Czecho- -Slovakian crown can
be exchanged at the rate of Is ~ for an
American dollar, While it takes "a
Austrian crowns or % Jugo-S Slavic
crowns to make a dollar. At present
we are using the old Austro- Hungarian
paper money, with special stamp at
fixed to it. In a short time we will
have our own money, based on gold
standard and rated in the franc sys-
tenn. This money will be made for us
in France.
"The crown in our country has not
depreciated as much as in the neigh
boring states, because the government
has withdrawn halr of the bank de-
posits and issued certificates against
these deposits, thus reducing the
amount of money in circulation in the
country by so per cent. The ,certih-
Gates cannot be put into circulation,
but they bear interest, and can be used
in the payment of import duties. When
our crowns appreciate in value again
this money will be replaced in circula-
ton.
Because of the present rate of ex-
change our merchants do not wish to
pay for impofts in our money now
They want credits of six, eight or
twelve months. By that time the rate
of exchange will have improved and
payments will be easier.
Luxury Imports Prohibited
because of the hardships we suf-
fered in the war the country has beer
stripped of even the necessities Of life.
For the present our government is not
permitting the importation of lux
uries. We are a manufacturing nation
essentially, and all we need are food
and raw materials. Our machinery has
not been damaged and our people are
ready and willing to work. Bolshevsm
has not made headway in our country,
and we wish to prevent its breeding or
growth by ample food supplies for our
people.
"We are looking to America to help
US regain our commercial activity, but
in the benefits of it. Germany already
is making advances for trade with US
and is willing to extend us the credit
we need"
DR.. Pisecky and his staff will remain
at the Waldorf-Astoria for about three
weeks before returning to their coun-