Evening star., 1922-10-01
TRADE OF i. S. CHARTED
DURING THE WORLD WAR

nation. the proper provisioning Of the
expeditionary forces and the allies
and neutral countries. The purpose of
control of imports was to prevent
trade with the enemy.
obviously. import restrictions dur
ing the war acted as 4 sort of pro
lection against foreign competition
Thus, the War Trade Board had under
Its control largely the prosperity b.
many American industries. Certain
imports We're restricted three months
after the armistice; among them were
Creaustufts. peanuts. rice. sugar.
wheat and wheat -four. nitrate OF
soda. tin orc. etc. June 80. 1919, thu
War Trade Board ceased to exist as
ment
The system Of government control
that had been built up with the pur-
pose or defeating the central empires
was burdensonte to the people OF the
beiiigerent and neutral nations alike
Inc relaxation of war control mark
ed the transition from war to peace
conditions. The laws of trade and
commerce and of supply and demand
gradually resumed operations BuI
the change was disturbing and pre-
clpltated commercial struggle and
sudden change of economic pro
gram in many nations. This explains
very general resort to some sort
of paternal policy calculated to meet
new conditions.
Extent of the Index.
American trade was resumed with
enemy countries. A list of commodi-
ties of German origin was allowed
to be imported. either not detrimental
10 American industry or of some spe-
cial benefit to the United States. In
the meantime the volume of records
and cards and data increased amaz-
inely. Now they mount up into the
millions. and resemble a literary cata-
comb. In the index of exports alone
there are 100000 cards
The division of tabulation and sta
tistics has about 12.37S.O00 cards. The
bureau Of trade intelligence passing
on the character of consignors and
$4,000 cards, has number of sources
and ramiflcations. Among them are
threads leading to the State Depart
ment, the secret service of the Treas
ury. the military intelligence divi-
sion of the War Department the De
partment of Justice. the British en-
bassy. the British war trade intelli-
gence department., cable consul ships
postal conSulships. and all the allied
embassies. From these sources were
obtained information concerning the
activities of every person suspected
of disloyalty. Here in this vast res
eryoir of information repose conf
dentially the records of many whose
activities during the world war ap-
parently were unknown.
In the intelligence bureau is what
is known as the black list--that is. Il
Hist of persons or firms or corporations
suspected of being disloyal or in
league with the enemy. Then there
is a suspect list. These give q de-
tailed history of each case and all in
formation gathered by the various in
telligence bureaus and the secret
service organizations of the United
States and allied countries. In fact
this bureau is a depository of many
important secrets.
OF Incalculablc Value.
1t might be said that these archives
are of historic value only. AS a matter
Of fact they are Of inestimable value.
| Approximately ten thousand cases or
lawsuits are now pending involving
some portion Of these very records For
example, many suits have been brought
| for non delivery of merchandise to for
eign neutrals. and damages sought. The
| official records in these solemn archives
now abiding in the war trade bureau
are invaluable. They may establish .
good defense or prove an aAbi