GERMAN PEACE PREPAREDNESS.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 5, Issue 165, 14 April 1916, Page 4 (Supplement)

GERMAN PEACE PREPAREDNESS.

AS BIG A MENACE TO OUR TRADE SUPREMACY AS BEFORE THE WAR. SOME ASTONISHING REVELATIONS. Anyone who can read James Arm strong's article on "German Preparedness for Peace" in the January "World's Work" without wanting to tear his iiair—and that of our polit.cians who arc still gaping at our post helium problems like Simple S'.mons — is no loyal Briton. Armstrong has an able pen, and ho has used it to some purpose to warn us that far from being economically ruined, as some of our Press narcotics would have us believe, German financial and industrial concerns arc working Jay and night in readiness to flood the world with cheap products with which it will be hopeless for us to attempt to compete;--unless our Apostles of inertia get busier than they ever die before . All the misery and loss worked on the Allied nations by the war will be thrown away if something be not done AT ONCE.

"Even as its industries were organised to secure the commercial position of Germany in the sun, so will the hundreds of factories which have been raised and equipped during the spasm of war be subsequently devoted to the exigencies of trade," writes our authority. He cites a easQ.

In pre-war days Germany was the largest customer for Chilian nitrates with which to fertilise her hardworkel ground . She was faced with a crisis before the war was many weeks old. Foodstuffs r-ould have to be raised within the country, and to secure the maximum yield slender Chilian stocks would speedily be exhausted. To maintain the food supply a substitute would have to be found. Nitrogen could l>c produced l from the air. If this were developed, nitric acide, in acute demand for the manufacture of high explosives, could be derived in vast quantities. Orders were placed for the speedy erection and equipment of several expensive installations. Contracts for two nitric acid producing establishments were placed with the Allegemeine Electricitats Gesellschaft of Berlin, together with a further contract to equip an electrical station which ranks as by far the largest single order ever carried out n Germany.

TEUTONS ARE NOT IDLE. A concern acquired lignite fieids near Bitterfeld. The Government demanded vast quantities of fertiliser to satisfy farmers and truck gardeners, as well as nitrir. acid for explosives . The concern was approached anc. l urged to assist in meeting national necessity by h process for the "fixation of nitrogen. The lignite fields cover over 2500 acres, and provide enough fuel to keep the works going for some 30 years at full pressure—66,ooo,ooolb of nitrogen per annum will be extracted at an average cost of lid per pound. At peace the capital expenditure charges will have been extinguished by the Government iu the form of payment for nitric acid. In other words, tlio war in Germany is financing the industries which at a later date will plunge the world into a commercial conflict as bitter as that Oil the battlefield. So with the coal industry. Coal gas production has advanced by leaps and bounds since the war at the instigation of ~the Government. Tars arising from the manufacturo of coal gas are rich in the elements needed to produce aniline dyes, which are being stored up till peace gives the opportunity to flood the whole world with them. The world needs those dyes —is being affected in a very serious degree because the German monooly for the present necessarily is not supplying them. A keg of this dye, normally to be had for 60s, fetched £'3l2 at open auction. And ittakes years to erect and equip an efficient aniline dye manufactory capable of competing with the Germans on level terms —and they know it and are biding their time. When the time comes no American or British firms, even supposing they could have set considerable production afoot, will bo able to sell aniline dyes at the price at which the German trust will unload tlicm on to the world.

NO ECONOMIC RUIN HERE. And so it goes on through every ramification of German industry. All factories are producing to the limit of their capacity—ready for the trade war that will follow peace. W hat are we doing? Here is a bad blow for those who think that Germany is in danger of economic ruin. The Aliegemeine Electriciats Gesellschaft earned a gross profit of £1,544,000. The dividend was 1 per cent, more than that of the previous year, notwithstanding that taxes were up to £40,000, that bonuses to staff and pensions were increased by £15,000 and £25,000 respectively, while there was a further expenditure oi £230,000 on war allowances. Gross receipts were £412,000 above those of 1014. That is how one of the most powerful and Teutonic concerns prepares for the war to follow the war. Brancncs in Switzerland, Scandinavia, Spain and Holland have been able to carry on business "satisfactorilv." THE liHli--ISH BRANCH IX LOXDOX IS IN A HEALTHY AND FLOURISHING CONDITION. America is the only country prepaiing on any efficient scale tor the commercial war to follow the military war.

WE ARE MARKING TIMB. So far as Britain is concerned no definite line of action to meet the threatened invasion lias been laid down. 13tit evidently the skeleton of a precautionary scheme has been adumbrated, judging from the slender statements white have been dropped in the House of Commons. A " Zollverein" of the Ilies lias been suggested and will probably come into operation in some forn. or other. The Trade's Eederat m ei the Empire is more probable. The fact remains that some cleverly contrived, effective, and aMV|i:in> plan of commercial campaign will need to b( drawn up, otherwise Germany will rot only be in a position to make 'up for all she lias lost by war, but we >vs ! enable her to forge tlie weapons n here with to ensure t'ie commercial, .i" no 1 the military and political domnati ei of the world. Of one tiling we may be certain. Germany's mercantile marine is hopeless 1 v tied up througl. the vigilance power of the British licet. lint when the mooring ropes can be cast off there will be a spirited and vigorous rate war. Conferences and lines will be iminasiniieli a- racial feelings will lie to strained to enable community of interests to be arranged so far the W'lter traffic .s concerned. The vast stocks accumulated will have to lie clear. ' out of the factories at all hazards, and we mav confidently anticipate that thev will be de<p.i:<fied to the markets of the world at very cut rates when overseas to!l)!i!erce once more becomes possible.