Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1919-02-06
OUR PREPAREDNESS FOR PEACE.

OUR PREPAREDNESS FOR PEACE.
The New York Sun, in recent editorial, expresses
perturbation lest protection at home allow to slip
from our grasp the industrial independence which the
war brought us. 1t a menace in German potash
and the method of doing business the world over
But the Manufacturers Record, while admitting cause
for alarm when the matter is viewed from some angles
finds source of safety from the seeming menace 1t
suggests that as long as the fertilizer of America
fuse to handle German potash that commodity will not
come in competition the American product In other
words the whole problem is easily in the hands of the
American fertilizer men Following the New York Suns
expression
But it was a war problem to create home supply
of potash nitrates dyestus and other materials for
which this country had been wholly largely dependent
upon Germany it will be peace problem to maintain
these new industries against the trade assaults of for
eign producers
Potash in truth, was perhaps Germany's greatest
trade asset Through sheer ingenuity, energy and app
cation the Germans could and did buy cotton in the
United States ship the seas, manufacture it,
ship the fabrics back the pay tariff duties
on them sell them in this country, where the very
cotton grown for less money than producers
could goods here The Germans did
the things other countries whether the trade
in toys utensils musical instruments hundreds of 9TH
articles. In potash however they had at home and
controlled absolutely the of the product itself
Furthermore Providence had bestowed this invaluable
material upon the Germans only prodigally, but in
the simplest natural state for mining and manufacture
md nrc "a
lowest possible Of production determining
in selling market 1t still the thing.
Before the war the Germans had doubt that,
through the of their potash monopoly they would
have the world their mercy when it could no longer
get potash. One leading German statesman openly boast
ed that national belief After the war the competitive
power of German potash must be- if there barrier
against it difficult for American producers to deal
with other product that Germany will send to the
world, What are going to do about that? But only
in lesser degree will there be other national assets
at stake. What going to do about the American
chemical works dye plants various industries which
have been set up while the kept Germany out
markets?
Just as there legislative or administrative
preparedness for the when plunged it, there
has been Federal preparedness for these great prob
lens of There has scarcely any suggestion
of by those in control of the Government When are
we going to begin?"
To which the Manufacturers Record replies
THE country has found source of potash of almost
Infinite value. 1t be yield every ton of potash
we need and at the time increase our industrial
wealth. The hitherto wasted fumes from iron furnaces
and cement plants made to yield potash while
from the lakes of Nebraska, the Seares lake and the
states of Georgia potash in large quantities.
Thus we would be the richer having turned waste
and unutzed products wealth creators and in do
ing made ourselves independent of any other
for potash. e. 5rN
But narrow minded policy proposes to murder
the industry brought into life the nations
call for potash The Government now seeks to kill the
child brought into being doing so to sell its hon
or for less than a mess of potage
Surely the fertilizer men as business men should
have broader vision than the narrow bureaucratic
methods of some Government officials and they should
If join the Government in killing the industry
we fostered the day may come when we shall cry in
now would, for apparent temporary profit seek to
kill the potash industry.
"once the plan of the Government to disregard all