New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1919-01-19
Redfeld Declares
Censorins Of Cables
Hurts L. S. Business
Tells Republican Club He
Has Asked Lansing to Act
in Matter; Warns Against
Rapid Trade Expansion

William c. Redfeld, Secretary OF
Commerce, told members of the Repub-
lican Club here yesterday that he
favored q speedy lifting of the cable
censorship, which he said he regarded
as injurious to American business. He
has cablcd Secretary Lansing to that
effect, he added
Secretary Redfeld was speaking at
the clubs regular Saturday afternoon
non partisan discussion.
THE cable censorship is portion
Of the blockade against Germany and
is expressly provided for by the terms
of the armistice' he said. at is a
natteH, which must be treated concur
rcntly by the parties to the armistice.
feel, however, that now the censor
ship is proving embarrassing and in
furious to American business and
have cablcd Secretary Lansing to tins
effect, suggesting that he take steps
to have the parties to the armlstlce
take action concurrently to have the
censorship lifted. The United States
cannot do this alone. 1t is matter
for concurrent action. 1t is my per
sonal desire to get rid of all war re
strictions on business at the earliest
possible moment | hate them"
Secretary Rcdiield cautioned against
a too rapid expansion Of trade. This
is no time for blind haste" he said.
at is a time to work for the greater
things beyond. We have tremendous
work ahead Ct us in helping with re-
construction America must send her
commerce out as a servant and not
as an eXploiter.
War Caught Industries Mapping
cat the outbreak of war, just as inn
portant as the lack of the more obvious
military equipment, such as guns and
powder, were such deficiencies as the
fact that we could not produce linen
that was absolutely essential Tor the
wings of aeroplanes," he said The
varnish for the wings contains nj
trates. and we did not have those.
There was not lens in our nautical
Instruments that hadn't been made IN
Jena. We lacked maps of the coasts OF
this country. But we 0vcrcame these
difficulties. We developed the neces-
sary wing linen. We made an acetate
that took the place of q nitrate, and
then developed factory to manufact-
urc il. We now have factories at
Pittsburgh and Washington that turn
cut glass equal to the best That ever
came out of Jena, and We have the
maps absolutely essential for the artil-
lery corps We're it to be able to defend
our coast from invasion"
America, according to Mr.. Redtleld,
must utilize in its industries the sci
ence of the country, as Germany did
for so many years. Science, he said,
must be the guide in stimulating in
dustry.
We have built" he continued, "the
greatest laboratory in the world, at
cost q 81, SO 900. and we have put in
it units of all our great industries.
We have units for the manufacture of
cotton, Woollens. paper rubber and
ether things. Manufacturers may send
their men to experiment there without
cost and thus help to put American
industry on the plane on which it be-
longs"
How Germans Hampered L. 5.
AS an example of the way time
achievements of the country. Mr. Red
field said .he German ships seized here
which were thought to be hopelessly
damaged, when fixed up and manned by
American sailors made greater speed
than they had attained before
Illustrating the sabotage practised by
German engineers, he told of trick
they had Of inserting. brass disks in
engine tubes and skilflaly removing all
traces Of their location. Mechanics. he
said, had to tap thousands of feet of
tubing to find them.
Captain Edward Topper, national
organizer of the Seamen's Union of
Great Britain, also spoke. There was
applause when he announced that his
associates in England had cabled him
to express to the American people, in
their behalf, regret at the death of
Theodore Roosevelt He said he was
going back to England shortly in order
to be able to attend the meeting of
representatives. of the seamen OF the
world, in February, at which their
policy Of seven-ycar boycott of Ger
many would be definitely outlined.