The New York Times/1916/11/22/Gerard on German Future
GERARD ON GERMAN FUTURE.
Expects Committee to Do All Foreign Buying After War.
James W. Gerard, United States Ambassador to Germany, speaking last night at a dinner given in his honor by Frank A. Munsey in the ballroom of the Ritz-Carlton, predicted that Germany, to encourage her home industries after the war, would probably do all her foreign buying through a Central Committee.
“If we are to give in this country an hour-hour day, then we must give to the manufacturer and the laboring man some measure of protection against those countries in which the laboring men work ten hours and over and where many women work,” the Ambassador said.
“If our peace and prosperity is to continue,” he went on, “we must give permission for business men to combine for foreign trade. Probably in Germany no one after the war will be permitted to buy anywhere except in Germany. Probably a buying committee will be formed to do the buying.”
This system, he thought, would be in vogue in other European countries. It was of advantage, he said, in that it allowed the making of better bargains.
“I thank you for this reception,” he said, before taking his seat. “Your welcome has given me a new strength to go back to Germany to stand up not only for the political rights, but the commercial rights of the United States.”