Evening star., 1919-10-12
TO UPBUILD BUSINESS
OF TWO HEMISPHERES
Industrial and Financial Leaders of Five
Nations Will Discuss Herculean Task
at Atlantic City Conference.


and blood Of mutually profitable barter
and exchange. Europe clamors for re-
stored means Of production: America
for speedy overseas transportation OF
surplus raw materials. and both Europe
and America for stabilization Of credit
and exchange. In this conference the
business leaders from both hemispheres
will cut loose from the broad, perplex-
ing generalities and get down to ded.
mite figures and facts regarding what
must be done and the order in which
the work must be performed-for max
irnum production. economic and efficient
delivery where most needed.
Devastation Wrought by War.
Three hundred thousand homes in
northern France and Belgium were de-
stroyed during the war. As many more
were partially wrecked. but are restor-
able. At least 1000 churches and an
equal number Of public buildings must
be replaced. For this there will be
needed. according to the obviously con.
servative estimates Of a German engi-
neer. at least 10,o0o.o00,000 bricks.
5.ooo.o0o cubic meters Of lumber. 1000.
900 to 100000 square meters Of panel
glass. 100000 metric tons Of cement,
100000 cubic meters Of lime besides
tremendous quantities of structural iron
products and enough roof tiles to cover
an area larger than that Of Berlin"
According to a recent report Of the
French minister Of public works, "of
the 10000 kilometers Of highways de-
stroyed by the Germans. only about
1000 kilometers have been repaired, but
the work is progressing briskly. OF
1,075 kilometers Of wrecked canals,
about four-ffths are now in operation"
Before the war Belgium averaged an
annual output Of 2,2S0.0o0 metric tons
Of steel During the war this fell on
to practically nothing-the Germans de-
stroyed what machinery they could not
carry on. Belgian manufacturers now
have an agent in the United States
buying rolling mill supplies, electrical
furnaces. ores and coal.
France ought Immediately to spend
| forty billion francs on her railroads
| and in building canals and harbors.
Many of the present steam roads
should be electrified. all of the har.
bors should be improved. Canals ana
buildings represent war wreckaxe
which must be restored For her fuel
need she is looking to America, for
at least 100000 tons Of coal
According to an estimate made by
the New York Journal of Commerce.
northern France before the war pro-
duced three-fourths of Frances coke
and one-fourth Of the steel. Most of
this was transformed into manufac-
tured products on the spot. The wool
en- industry of that section disputed
| with the silk OF central France for
the premier place in French foreign
commerce. Linen and cotton laces
| pottery, glass and chemicals were also
important products Of the north. Now
| they are reduced to dust by the war.
Speedy restoration of these indus
tries means salvation for France.
! Postponement means industrial suf-
fering and impaired national credit.
View of Business Wise Men.
A"cIlCd JOlucu WITH ITeal Brit
ain. France, Belgium and Italy to win
| the greatest war in history. The BUSH
ness-wise men say that they must re-
main united to insure the stabiliza-
| ton of their individual existence and
the fulfllment Of their JOINT aspira-
| tions. They must Cooperate to restore
to normal all the processes Of indus
J try and commerce. There is, therefore,
| a common interest. Prosperity for
each is vital 20 all, while unrest and
uncertainty in one country is bound
to be felt and may be duplicated in
the others.
United States, which is fathering this,
conference. emphasizes that Europe
and America need each other" In
their madness the German army wan
tonly destroyed French and Belgian
property representing nine billion
days Of human labor. the work of
| 100000 men for ten years. In her
efforts to defeat the common enemy
America increased her productive
, capacity to such proportions as to
vastly exceed her normal peace-tine
demands. In the stricken lands over
seas lies the solution. the American
business leaders feel Of the problems
of overproduction and surplus raw
materials.
Wherefore, the American partic.-
pants in tho dawning international
conference say that to 1t are COM
mitted the destinies of world COM
merce and the making Of economic
history for two continents.
Outstanding needs which will be
considered will include foodstuffs,
coal, chemicals, textiles, oil, metals.
Underlying all of these special neces-
stiles Is the fundamental problem OF
tonnage. Shipping and shipbuilding.
tho matter Of International transport.
10 Of primary importance to every
delegate.
For example, Americas aid 10 stf1.
invoked to feed q continent that has
only partially recovered. It 10 OBJ
vious that the private shipping In
terests, If not the governments them
solves. of Great Britain. France and
Italy must insure such an ALLEGATION
Of tonnage to the United States a.
will guarantee the free and periodic
flow Of surplus American foodstuffs to
their respective nationals. In this
connection, also, the matter OF ship
building will be taken up. crystalliz-
ing In such action as the conferences
may be properly expected to take.