The Washington times., 1922-04-16
FINANCE.
[RUsfNEss 1S1
BY d. O. FORBES.

II is wise TO keep calm Even
so. the absolute apathy over the
coal strike isn't easy to understand.
the trouble will continue much
longer without bursting into dis
turbances at various points. I'M
dustry cannot but be affected much
sooner than IL commonly imagined.
II workers In other industries are
thrown idle, tho position of the
coal mine owners, already unen-
viable. win be made most uncon-
Portable.
Wall Street Is worrying over the
Bethlehem Steel "B" dividend. II
the steel industry maintains its re-
cent rate OF Improvement. the d.
rectors should have little reason for
not declaring the regular payment
when they meet on April ~.
Germany is becoming the play
ground of the worlds spectators"
declares J. Barrtnger. general man
ager of the National Cash Register
Company, who returned this week
from a business trip to twelve
European countries. Spectators
of every caiiber and from every
corner OF the world are buying real
estate. factories. land, valuables.
everything---except Marks" he add
ed. "A man having dollars can
pick amazing bargains"
Mr.. Barringer's investigations
have caused him to change COM
pieteiy his IDEAS concerning indem-
nifty and debt payments. Like
| x.s -t..x., N - xExl ~
opposed 20 cancelling any debts.
But as I toured through Germany.
saw everywhere smoke belching
from factory chimneys. On every
farm women and men were toiiins
industriously. tiliing every nook
and corner. Production costs In
Germany today are unbelievabiy
low, measured by dollars or gold.
found that the average wage In
one typical Berlin factory was $3.50
a week. These are actual, verified
figures. The working people are
being made the goats, but they
haven't yet wakened up to this
fact. They complain bitterly against
having TO pay 30 many marks for
bread, shoes, clothes and everything
else they have TO buy. but Il hasn't
dawned on them. yet. that the
trouble lies In the value. or worth
lessness, of the mark itself. They
still have pathetic faith In their
marks. They feel that prices have
gone crazy, not their marks. ]
fear there VIII be an upheaval be
fore very long. But Germnnys
90, 900 900 people are mostly home
loving, industrious. peaceabfy in
clined, so that any revolt against
the existing economic conditions
isn't likely TO last long.
The only way Germany or any
other European nation can pay ttf
debts to us is TO send us goods. And
the only reason we would have for
buying their goods would be their
cheapnees The more cheap goods
we admit into this country. the fewer
workers win be needed TO produces
such goods here. I would prefer %
see fuil-time employment for all our
own working people TO the paying OF
debts through dumping goods here
In such enormous quantities as tc
throw thousands upon thousands OF
our own people out OF work. BY
compelling Germany to produce al
the lowest cost Of any nation In this
world. we VIII be doing our very best
to stimulate her to attain such g
degree of economy and efficiency
that she viii absolutely dominate
the Industrial markets of the worit
by and by.
"Our company is fighting fire with
IRE, We can't pay workers IS a day
to make cash registers and try to
cell these cash registers In competi
ton with Krupp's and others In Ger
rao n xryh hal
a week. So what are we doins7 We
already have a factory In Germany
employing 800 people. We are going
ahead with s1oo, 900 addition 10 our
plant and win manufacture In Ger
many cash reQfntera 70 compete In