Manawatu Herald SATURDAY, JANUARY 17,1920. GERMANY'S TRADE OUTLOOK.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLII, Issue 2079, 17 January 1920, Page 2

Manawatu Herald SATURDAY, JANUARY 17,1920. GERMANY'S TRADE OUTLOOK.

THE fear I hat. Germany.will quickly recover her dominant position hi the world’s commerce does not impress Sir Auckland Gcddos, president of the Board of Trade. In a speech at the Aldwyeh Club recently he said that after the most careful investigation and consultation he could •say advisedly that never had there been greater opportunities for the trade of Great Britain, and never, he believed, would greater opportunities present themselves, in' the future. With the most thorough knowledge of the position in Germany—a knowledge acquired by investigation. in every part of Germany, he declared that Germany not now, certainly not for many months to come, probably not for years to come, Amid hope to rank among the great manufacturing nations of the world. Her factories to-day were closed either in whole or in part; her raw material was - Jacking in almost every direction: her mbn were not working. They were hopeless, dispirited, unsettled. The costs of production in Germany were far higher than was commonly understood. “Believe me,” Sir Auckland continued, “many men in this country are trembling before a shadow, a recollection of what Germany was, and they won’t believe that Germany is now. She is down. I. would, in our own interest, that her trade showed -more signs of elasticity towards development .than it does, Because Germany was one of our great markets, and >!m' cannot buy from us unless ■die E producing wealth within her own borders. It is: true, that: there me a few small accumulations of good'- in Germany which might be sent here, but if they were it would

be a mere Hash in the pan, a meagre payment of a part of the bill she must pay if she is to get the raw materials she must have if she is to re-establish Ijer social life. Do not let us be frightened by shadows. This fear of -Germany which exists in many industries is, at the present time, a shadow.” . '