GERMAN TRADE AFTER THE WAR

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2420, 27 March 1915, Page 23

GERMAN TRADE AFTER THE WAR

OPTIMISM IN BERLIN ) It is true tlUkt. ! ; Germaii trade is almost paralysed iit'-'prtsent, but German writers are predicting that when the war is over' the'ofward march of their commercial progress-will be resumed and England will iiiid the. same competition, ?•;,! driving her productsYout of the world's market. A writer iti, the Berlin "Zu-i:'> kilhft" discusses, this! question in_ an ■?£ optimistic article, basing his conclusions Sh. figufes that appear in the London - .v.; "''Economist." 'While the German writer -.*;• anticipates" great changes in the moneys . market lis the results, of the present struggle, he' speaks very hopefully, ■.J about tho results as far as they relate' to Germany. England is not tho whole■ financial and mercantile world, lie says,. .j and the war will not last forever. South > ■ .'i America and the Far East will continue • • to bo the markets of Europo, and on . .. these markets Germany has had a pre- ■ dominant control. He speaks very] ; slightingly of England's attempted ex:elusion of German goods, and says that ./ the pcoplo of the British Isles still de- z-, pond, and will continue to depend, iipon Jj. the supplies from German sugar refineries. Moreover: * It is often said that England has : ,V. been dilatory both in the prosecution of her wars and tho promotion of her >;!; commercial interests. Tho opportunity ; which tho European conllict has afforded : ' of enlarged commercial and transput- Yli; 1 ing interests for England, this writer . ;,- L thinks, has been missed in that tountry, and Germany will be quick to take advantage of it. Germany has beeii a large supplier and exporter of goods to America, Canada, and the United - ; ■ Kingdom, and England will be too b.isy . ;IJ , during tho war to win back theso mar- .. kete. The Briton has dropped back tool far in the commercial race, we are as- j>' sured, to regain his old position of su- ; ' premacy: . i.r "What England at one time depend- ■ v/. Ed oli as her commercial heritage, Germany will soon take possession of. ;o England is ntit now taking up anything ■ like a commercial struggle for the mas- ; tei'jt, but has sunk into slothful torpor. • The German industry and the Germans'trade as exporters have no longer any; /v lieed to appeal to the importing nationß of thi itorth. Of course, it necessarily, to a lai'ge extent, be checked ;)'! and • hindered, but when the war is Over the peaceful competition which will. ;'-, -result frill affect a jfteafc State liko ours \ . a degree tvliifch Will, make the country,•still more broadly,vsprcad her product . tibns oVer.the wfirld. Doubtless, com-;.-:; petition will mean'that those who make '. the best goods will find the best and Most nunleroUs customers. Even if ; jiiigland • refuses: id'.-- deal with us in' /.j:.; '■'ttaaej the consequence will be that-■; c iUetmaliy must struggle with redoubled .: 'energy/.to wrest-from her rivals a com- : "fierce in which slie*Tia6 hitherto been so i hriliiatit aild successful. On the other - hand, England would merely be injuring ller own country if she put a tariff oil goods imported from Germany: At : present German sugar is imported by ; ''England to.iin amount which in 1913 ;. Cached iIOjOOO, 000. 'It will not be 1 Vefy efisy for England, after the present', ivar is ended, to destroy so large a, " ; supplier df necessary food as this isv : Our odvetsaries and those who are en- *;.' vioUs of us can, of course, for a, short tinie blind the public, eye. to their best i/' interests, but in the long run we shall • f find that the war has done no injury to dur export business because, our rival will be compelled to purchase what is IWj needed from the best and cheapest markot, which will be found in Germany. J-, Germany can count without fear on the ■>;; coming of any foreign competition as :: ; ~ the consequences of this fatal war, and,'; : in any case, the commercial fortune or .V;; our country will never depend merely upon the favour of, England." ;■%