The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1919-03-21
ITALY BEGGING
FOR U. S. TOOLS
SAYS WALTERS
Latins Must Turn to Germany
if Allies Fail to Meet De-
mand.

UldnO.
Italy is literally begging for Ameri-
canmade tools But if America and
the other entente nations fail to sup
ply the demand. Italy naturally will
have to turn back to Germany for
materials.
Such is the information and warning
contained in 4 letter from Sergeant
Basil l.. Walters, former Richmond
newspaper man who now is editor OF
The Ambulance Service News pub
lished in Italy for circulation among
the American soldiers in that country.
Walters letter, which contains
much information on the business pos
stbilities for American industries in
Italy, was received in Richmond Thurs
day 1t follows:
We'll, we are still here. We seem
to be having as hard time getting a
boat to come back to Gods country
as we had in getting one to get over
here. The latest dope is that we leave
some time in May. | sure hope SO.
These are perhaps the hardest days
In soldiers life. With all the old
excitement gone, TIE period OF watch
full waiting surely does pass slowly,
very slowly. BY reason of the small
number of Yanks in Italy we do not
have the various entertainments that
the A. e. F. in France does. Our Jazz
band is now in France helping out
with the entertainment program. The
paper keeps yours truly pretty busy
but still the time is passing pretty
'lento' On top Of this, everybody in
the states seems to think that we
don't need any letters over here at
present and this is the time of all
times when the Yanks need plenty Of
mail.
Begging for Tools
ITALY is literally begging for Ameri-
can made tools Of all kinds. She used
to get all these from Germany but
the very word is despised here now.
But il America and the other allies
do not get busy to supply the demand,
well, watch out for the Made in Ger
many stuff.
In the printing shop where we get
the sheet printed, the managers have
been trying to find where in America
they can purchase folding machine
Immediately. They have been writing
letters wholesale. They used to get
these from Germany and the only
ones they have in the plant are of
German make.
lllHOty pcs dHS iiioly PC iVpoio civ
also scarce Most of these came from
England before the war but the fac
tories will not resume the work on
these machines before April. They
have all been employed in making war
materials. Then, Of course, England
must be supplied first.
Types are another thing much in
demand. Germany formerly supplied
all of these and when we wanted some
large display type some time ago it
was necessary to go to Made in Ger
many case. The Italians dislike to
do this very much.
Presses are made at Turin but it
will take the plant some time to get
back on peace basis and in the mean
time Italy needs new printing machin-
cry of all kinds.
Imports Small Tools.
Italy imports practically all her
small tools, l am informed She for
merly got these from Germany In
fact, Germany even owned much of
industrial Italy, including the cleo
trical works, before the war These
have of course been taken over by the
Italian government. 1t is common
saying, Germany owned electrical
Italy
Italy has very little fuel and very
little raw material This is the main
reason why she depends upon out
siders to furnish so many of these
things. Her main natural resource is
water power This is not fully devel
oped by any means.
The popularity of America in this
country would without doubt prove or
great value to industries seeking bust
ness here. Some big firms have rep
resentatives here l know several of
these men personally and often talk to
them about the business possibilities.
"a representative of a large Ameri-
can electrical firm told me \ few days
ago that American business in general
uses but little tact in dealing with
Italian trade.
Gives Some Examples.
For instance, he pointed out some
examples where the most reliable
firms of this country had placed orders
with American firms. The American
firms had demanded that the purchase
price be deposited in New York bank
before the shipment was made. This
rather riled the Italian firms which
are as reliable as the big American
firms and which little investigation
would have revealed as worthy of
trust.
This is where Germany has scored
heavily in the past She has studied
the markets and has not tried to sell
machinery TO mountainous regions
which it is impossible to get to the
purchaser
THE Italian people have a queer
way OF doing business, I have been
told. The Germans were perfectly
familiar with this method in in this
way had almost unquestioned rule