Salt Lake Tribune | 1916-12-23 | Page 6 | More Handicaps

MORE HANDICAPS. The trouble that has arisen between tho entente allies and Greece, involving a blockade of the port- of the Hellenic kingdom, has nipped the growing trade of the United States with the country of King Constantino and M. Vcnizclos. Practically all of the wheat and flour 'used by Greeco in the past year came from this side of the Atlantic occau, but since prices are so high perhaps it is better for us that our exports of such foodstuffs hne been curtailed even to a slight extent. How Greece is getting along is quite another matter. 1 u ordinary or-dinary years most of the wheat used by the Greeks is obtained from Russia, freight rates being by far cheaper than the toll charged on grain from the United States. Ve succeeded to the Russian trade and held it up to the time of the blockade. "When the war is over Greece will qgain obtain her supplies sup-plies from the Russians. In some lines the Greeks will continue to do business with this country after tho return of peace, provided prices and credit arrangements arc satisfactory. It'is interesting to note in this connection connec-tion that the American dollar has supplanted sup-planted the English pound sterling and the French franc in the transaction of foreign business, and that connection with America is direct. As the Greeks are a seafaring people and have many ships on the ocean, there does not seem to be any good reason why they should do their business with the merchants and manufacturers of this country through London or Paris. From present pres-ent indications most of the other European Euro-pean countries will do their business direct, and it is probable that the American Amer-ican dollar will be thf? basis of exchange. ex-change. To a great extent this condition exists ex-ists at the present time and will continue con-tinue until the end of the war, at least. The trfide outlook for the immediate future, however, is more or less squally. Tho new premier of Great Britain proposes pro-poses to mobilize under one gcnerol head the entire ocean cargo-carrying facilities of the United Kingdom for the exclusive benefit of the allied armies and the great civilian population of the allied countries. If this plan is carried out, and there seems to be little doubt regarding the matter, our exports to Europe will be almost exclusively confined con-fined to tho warring countries, and will consist largely of munitions, foodstuffs and raw materials which cannot be obtained ob-tained in great quantities elsewhere. If the allied blockade is relaxed and Greek ships are allowed the freedom of the ocean, they will be able to engage in the ocean-carrying trade of the United States. The Norwegians will also foil in for a good thing on account of the fact that the American merchant marine ma-rine is largely imaginary. Just now American bankers ;tre warning warn-ing us that we must cxpeot the present kind of competition after the war is over, business conditions all over tho world having been changed by tho great struggle. Perhaps we shall be able to cross that bridge when we come to it, but in the meantime it begins to look as though it will be increasingly difficult for us to engage in foreigi trade during the remainder of the war. Tho South American field is open if wc can find bottoms to transport our products. Otherwise we seem to be getting into a hole which has been plugged at the farther far-ther end.