The daily banner. (Cambridge, Md.) 1897-2008, 1921-08-22

Too MICH fXAooERATIOE

urited States is in Better Position
With r.e3rd 10 Wages and Cost
OF Liv..:..
Ne,v York. AK. - Ever s.lI'e the
rrpur..!i"n> question was s"'I''d De
tn,r3i l!t,. aii.,.u nations and Germany
in MAY there has been Il great deal OF
SINE. .,..inl discussion to the effect that
GtrliaII Workmen are working long
hours 1T very low pay and thai al! the
npnnle of tiermany-GO,O O0.Ouh souls
with 4 single thought-are huckling
down to capture the markers vi the
world. crush foreign competition ANA
nav off all heir indemnities with
manufactured goods. enjoying Ill the
while the advantage of greatly d"prc-
ciatrd currency. low cost of living and
low cost of materials aS c""''ared
with other manufacturing NAT "::>.
Manufacturers in countries outside
of Germany have not unnaturaIiN been
inclined to eXaggerate in their own
minds the competition /" he expected
from Germany, and have in many cases
lens their voices to the chorus of those
oycfe.>r;lna1ing the present German
sifr@'inn.
on the contrary side, states l.. X.
Morris. research editor of the Aln"rl-
can Exporter in an article i'll this
Week issue of the American Exporter
RuIlrtfn. il should be realized that
Germany. instead of being in Il better
rr:t1inn to compete with the United
S;at,S Than before the war, is in a
much worse position.
THAT this IS the cas-" j. reco@niE"i
even in Germany itself: ii, is subject
% comment in the trade press, ard IS
cnI.ha>i2cd H. both official documents
",'ating Ia German export trade and
re ronnrte Of prominent hankin;
hoi.>.g~. For example. the following
| nvGfat;rn from an article IN Hl'"r
= c!tlanGaI" Of July !. by the HAM
| burg correspondent Of that paper. in
| dicatr> he general attitude in Ger
| mauy with regard to the pre>eH. eN'
port situation
Of the fac that in practice, tie re-
| building of German export trade pre-.
SCENTS greater difficulties than W0'tlo
appear ut first glance. Wherever tht
| IIanScatic export merchants turn they
mpci ihe powerful competition Of The
| United States In Asia, in Africa. il
| South and Central America. the com
9 In, n,
English wares has entrenched it>"!
through supplying" highgrade artirI"'
in certain lines. and also through fay
orablc deliveries and terms Of pay
mpnt.'
An official report March - from The
German consul in MalmO. Sweden
states that although directly after tn
| var there was Il great increase in Ger
| many'S exports to that country. tn
rrirpS of goods ordered were frequent
~ arbitrarily raised to twice the orig
nal amount: thereby cousins @rr1t N
which formerly favored German good
now refuse to buy them in order +
avoid such Inconvenience. COMPLAIN
| IS specially severe with regard to tn,
method of payment eXacted by tn,
German ufacturerS-namplv. III,
payment of One-half in cash unOn pIac
Ing the order and Of the second hal
upon completion of the goods. Swed
| !Sh importers have found that if tht
! quality of the goods as delivered wa,
| not M 20 the sample they have no re
/ course but TO accept delivery. anf
| since payment must be made in Ger
! many they would have to institute lie
/ GAL proceedings in that country. which
| is comparatively difficult matter.
The Italian correspondent of Der
Nelthandel reports that until within q
few months ago there was a great
scarcity of sewing machines in italy,
while large stocks Of sewing machines
were being held in Germany. Subse,
quently. an American make of sewing
machines was put on the Italian mar.
ket in large quantities and the Ger
man machines being held at too high
Il price, became unsuitable The cor
respondent remarks that while German
sewing machines are seen in large
numbers in Italy, they date back for
the most part to pre-War periods. He
likewise reports that German fountain
pens are too high in price by one-third
10 compete with American fountain
pens
The belief that German workmen
are working for extremely low wages,
as compared With pre-war conditions,
is also Il misconception.
German real wages are actually 80
per cent higher than before the war.
for since 1914 the cost of living has
Increased 20 per cent and in wages
hay" gone up 1922 per cent.
In the same period the cost of living
in tn" United States rose sc per cent,
and wages rose 1G7 per cent, making
Tho rise in United States real wages
- cor cent. or less than that Of Ger