The Birmingham age-herald., 1919-07-30
JUDGE GARY AND OUR INTER-
 NATIONAL TRADE

one whit from his hopeful and very optim- istic condition of mind, especially as he considers the future of our international trade. He is certain that. if certain con- tingencies like the stablizing of exchange can be favorably met, we are to have an
 nternational trade which probably will compel the operation of American manu- lecturers to the utmost capacity of thei- plants.
 But Judge Gary wants the United States to import upon relatively as great a scale as our exports are sure to be. For he says that if we do that we shall facilitate the liquidation of the indebtedness other nations owe to the United States on ac- count of commodities purchased here But it is apparent that there are to be some obstacles in the way of heavy inn portations from Germany These are due to the state of mind of the Ameri- can people. little incident will illustrate this mental condition. business man who had need of a pocket knife of ex- cellent grade visited one of the largest of the shops of New York where a spe- cialty is made of pocket knives. He waa asked timidly by the clerk if he would object to German pocket knife. In reply he said that it would go somewhat against the grain for him to buy Ger man pocket knife. although he knew that the quality was of the highest.
 Then the clerk confessed to him that it was almost impossible to sell any Ger. man-made goods. A tacit, unorganized boycott against German commodities seems to prevail. Investigation showed that this disposition has been observed | in many Of the retail stores. Customers are not willing to buy German-made goods, although acknowledging the su- perior quality of some of them. It may ibe in time that this feeling will pass 1 away. At present it prevails not only | here but in other parts of the country. Therefore if Judge Gary's hint that the 1 united States buy heavily of commodities produced by others nations be acted upon with respect to Germany, the probability Is strong that for the present almost all Of the German commodities imported into the United States will be raw material or other things that are convenient and | expedient for use in American manufuac- tured industries. Some time must pass however before Germany will be able to | eynort much to the United States.
 BERNARD BARUCH IN FUTURE The friends of Bernard Baruch in the l financial district have no doubt that in due time he will be found serving, if | President Wilson has his way. as the American member of the reparation com | mission That. however is a matter of | less interest to MT. Baruchs friends than are the reports of which profess to SC. forth what his plans for his vocation in the future after he was retired from or- 1 hc'al life may be.
 | The impression is strong in the finan-
 cial district that MT. Baruch has closed
 the chapter in his career which tells the
 story of his brilliant and successful! speculation in securities. It is believed
 that never again will he undertake to dis
 count the market so as to make the large
 gains which he formerly secured. A new ! ambition pos 'ses him. He is anxious
 to gain a high reputation for construc-
 tive work. He looks into the future and
 is confident that he sees there construc- tive work upon an enormous scale in in-
 dustry, in the development of our natural resources, in mining and in commerce. and that this will furnish opportunities for service which will be of benegt net 50 much to himself as to the United States.
 
 | By the agreement of December 2. 1S99 among the United States, Great Britain and Germany the Samoan Islands were l divided between the United States and | Germany, Great Britain retiring and ac- cepting compensation for her retirement in the form of colonial concessions else | where in the world. This agreement end ed a long series of outbreaks and dis order in the islands amounting to a state of civil war. due. it was charged at the time, to the intrigue and aggrcs- sion of the Germans.