Evening star., 1925-07-19


ALL 1t was more or less a matter of
different viewpoints. | asked an Amer
lean here, who in his official position
has a good deal TO do with shipping II
British shipping interests had done
anything American shipping interests
would not have done under like cir
cumsta ances. He would not like to an
swer an unqualified mo- to that, he
said, but. he added. with a twinkle in
his eye. We've done one or two pretty
clever things ourselves"
SO that is that for what seems to
me to have been a good deal of
mares nest. My conclusion is that
II we are going to engage in the ship
ping game, in competition with more
experienced players, we can't afford to
do the baby act and let out a howl
every time some one steps on our
toes. What we have got to learn To
do is To hit back.
Trade Problems Complex.
When ii comes To discussing Amer
lean and British trade and the many
complex problems involved ii is diff
cult to reach general conclusions
without the danger of falling into
serious error. So far as | can find
there is not in Great Britain any
thing more nearly approaching an ac-
cepted national trading program than
there il al home. Here, as in America,
there are the same divergences and
conflicts of interest. What is trading
meat for one man may be trading
poison for another. There is not in
Great Britain anything like that com
munity of industrial interests which
existed in Germany before the war
and which now, according to reports.
Is being rapidly restored. The Brit.
ish industrialist is still very much an
individualist, inclined to go his in
dividual way. A few days ago there
was loud acclaim in the British press
because certain competing British
steel ia abricators had pooled interests
and underbid German competitors on
a big contract. But this was only
done in despera ton after having seen
the Germans carry away a lot of de-
sfrahie business. and there is no rea-
son to think ii is likely to grow into
perma anent British policy. Condi-
lions here are not at all similar to
those under which the Germans work
National Program Ignored.
When 1t comes to the question of
direct trading between the United
States and the United Kingdom there
is found that same divergence of in
dividual opinion and conflict Of per
sonal interest. 1t is true that there
is large national program, to which
IL subscribe in theory but disregard
in practice whenever it conflicts with
personal interest, that Great Britain
must sell more to and buy less from
America. But that is more a matter
OF politics and international finance
than ii is of business. All the aver
age British business man seems to
know or care about the problems of
his government in meeting its obliga-
tions in America is that he has to
pay the taxes. The problem itself is
one for the government to worry
about.
There is a more or less pronounced
national sentiment. inspired by propa
ga nda in behalf of languishng Brit
ish industry, in favor of a preference
for British hmade goods. This does not
prevent American goods and even
German goods from finding ready sale
but it does crop up every now and
then to cause embarrassment. An in
stance was called to my attention the
other day. The proprietor of what we
call filling station (they nave another
term for it over here) installed the
very latest model of a gasoline pump,
with a glass measuring tank and all
the other up-to-date embellishments.
His customers were plea sed with 1t
and commended him on his enter
prise. until one of them discovered in
an inconspicuous place in small let
ters Made in L. S. A" Then they
kicked up such a fuss about it tha
the proprietor had to take out his
pretty American pump and install one
of British make. Yet ii is proba BILE
those same complaining customers
did not themselves hesitate to buy
American or German goods whenever
they saw price advantage. The trou-
BILE with the filling tation ma n was
that he made too public display of
his mona dhesion to British goods for
Britons."
No Signs OF a Boycott.
am convinced. and I find much bet
ter informed America ms here who gree
with me, that, the necessities of the
situation will make headway for the
large national program m of buying less
from America. but it will be an evo-
luton rather than revolution in our
trade relations. There will not be any
thing like a boycott of America n
goods. 1t is even proba bic that within
a few years the working out of nat
ural forces will bring about such a re-
ments OF the situation and permit an
even increased consumption of Ameri- |
can manufactured goods
j do not think American manu-
facturers have any reason to fear
serious impairment of the markets
they now have established in Great
| do think American farmers !
must expect to see a diminishing
market here for their produce, but
that does not necessa riiy mean less !
for American agriculture !
/ uil n
ment of the American agricultural !
program. Already American beef is |
out of the British market because the /
day has pa assed when American beef |!
can compete in price with beef from |
the Argentine and other countries, /
which still have free range. Frozen |
beef and mutton from Australia. |
where there is possible grazing land |
equal to about half the area of the !
United States. is figuring more and |
more in the British markets. A few !
years ago the British would not eat !;
meat that had been frozen. Today |
theV come pretty near to having a /
preference for it.
Must Reckon With Russia.
What is true of beef will be true
Of wheat, except in years when there !
are crop failures in countries where /
wheat can be grown more chea ply |
And when Russia returns as a great |
exporter of wheat, as it is bound to |
do in time there will be still less |
rea son TO expect a market in Europe |
for American wheat. The world has |
now about adjusted itself to the alb |
sence OF the former Russian supply |
When Russia returns as a producer |
II Is likely that wheat acres other |
than American ones will be driven |
out of the business of growing wheat. /
We have several thousand years of |
history to justify the assertion that |