The sun., 1919-09-20
JASON BRINGS
LARGE CARGO OF
GERMAN GOODS
Ships Arrival in New York
Starts Speculation on Re-
sumption of Trade.
MANY ITEMS IN MANIFEST
Capt. Bevan Reports Food Is
Plentiful in Hamburg and
Cheaper Than Here.


the most considerable cargo that has
come from Germany since the war. the
Kerr Steamship Company's Jason
locked at Pier 80, Brooklyn. yesterday,
reviving in export and import circles
talk Of the future Of German trade with
the United States.
With the exception Of the Captain
Of the Jason. w. H. Bevan. formerly
. the skipper OF Alfred Vanderbilts
yacht Warrior, most OF the persons who
yesterday discussed the prospects fore
saw no flood Of German imports. In
fact they were pessimistic to the point
of worry over the commodities to be
sent here in exchange for the large ex-
ports 1t is hoped the United States will
send to Germany. In any event. for
eign traders assert, revival of German
exports to the United States depends
upon the supply of raw material which
the German factories get from us
Capt. Bevan reports that Germany,
port Of Hamburg, is already settling
down, and that the process will be COM
plete with the final ratification OF the
peace treaty. There were few vestiges
of the war In Hamburg. Food is plenti-
full and very much cheaper than In
New York. The skipper annoyed the
INDECENT and parched ship news report
ers by describing a dinner OF roast
duck with beer or wine for 75 cents
He II Of the opinion that the German
people. foreswearing r1iitarism for
good. will resume their peace time &C
tivities at full stride Immediately the
peace treaty becomes effective. He
says the Germans count largely on aid
from the United Sts.tes.
Sugar Beet Seed Biggest Item.
The most important item in the
Jason's cargo was about 100000 worth
of sugar beet seed consigned to beet
sugar growers and refiners in the West
These interests. though successful in the
production of the beet, never have been
successful In producing the seed, which
fakes from six to seven years to ma
lure. There has been a great shortage
of the seed since the war began. As
acon as the armistice was signed repre-
sentatives of the Northern Sugar Cor
pTation of Chaska. Mimi, and the
AInalgamated Sugar Company of Ogden,
Utah, began efforts to buy German seed.
Germany, too, was short of the seed and
the buyers had hard time getting It.
A story told in import circles yester-
day says that the first consignment of
seed acquired by American purchasers
turned out to have been roasted and
made useless. The Germans had been
using the seed as a substitute for coffee
during the war. Arrangements are I'M
derstood to have been perfected. how
ever. whereby reliable seed for the needs
OF the present American year will be
available. The consignment on the
Jason is the first of this lot.
The other most considerable item in
the Jason's small cargo consisted OF
glassware. Most Of the persons to whom
this was consigned stated that the ship
nents represented stuff that had been
ordered in 1914 and 1915 and had been
warehoused ever since. Many of them
expressed surprise at its arrival.
Orders Well Nigh Forgotten.
At the offices Of Leo Piper Sons,
to whom the largest consignment was
directed. II was stated that II all repre-
scented old orders which the firm had
we'll nigh forgotten. Its information is
that the German factories are not run
ming. or running on a minimum basis.
due to the lack OF coal. It is stated
generally among houses that formerly
received much German stuff that they
have had no tenders since the armistice
and that they neither expect tenders nor
are making efforts to buy the goods.
MT. Beck of the Kerr Steamship Com
pany. owners Of the Jason, minimized
the Importance OF the ships cargo.
I'VE have sent many ships to Ger
many" he said, under orders from the
relief administration, which made the
Hamburg-American Line our agents
there. We have picked up what we
could for the return trips, but Il has
been mighty little. The big items of
German exports have been textiles and
the textiles factories. both cotton and
wool. cannot resume operation until
they get cotton and wool from the
United States. No potash has been
shipped from Germany, though It is
badly needed here. l understand ar
rangements are being made to exchange
1t for American phosphate, which Ger
many needs"
The Kerr officials with whom Kermit
Roosevelt has lately become associated.
say that such business as they have
done has been done without hitch despite
the fact that the peace treaty has not
yet been ratified. Spanish consular
officers are authenticating American in
voices and the transactions are proceed
ing smoothly.
Other items In the Jason's cargo. all
small and described both by the steam
ship company and the cons Rneea as
purely casual and mostly leftoyers of
orders placed before the war, consisted
of mechanical drawings. artificial flower
samples beads, toys, earthenware, cot
ton samples, casket effects, glass ewes
and mouth harmonious.
Toy Trade Prospects MeaEre.
George Senior, president of George
Borgfeldt & Co., formerly large handlers
OF German imports in high grade textiles
glassware and toys said yesterday that
he saw no prospect OF a revival OF that
sort OF trade with Germany.
IF Germany produces them ana AM
orleans want to buy them" he sad.
I'VE will resume the business But
under the present unsettled conditions
y Ia impossible to arrange anything of
the sort"
The Borgfsldt Company had no CON-
signments on the Jason and is making
no effort TO buy German goods at the
present time.
The German stowaway on the Jason
was Rufuor Lahleth, 2S, mustered out
~ the German army and a machln ST.
who was determined to see the country
that put four million men in the held
= less than two years. He will return
30 Germany with no more of a view
OF America than he can get from Pier
~ and Ellis Island.
with him In the JAson's bunkers wera
found SIX other stowaways. but these
were americans Of the crew OF the