OCR Text |
Show EMPLOY BIG FORCE OF COMMERCIMEXPERTS j Completion of Foreign Staff of War Trade Board Progresses Pro-gresses Rapidly. "WASHINGTON, March 2. In its search of the world for ship tonnage to aid in defeating the central powers, the United States is building up the largest larg-est force of commercial experts which j ever has been stationed in foreign countries. Primarily the work of the. commercial commer-cial representatives of the t-tate department, de-partment, the department of commerce j and tho war trade, board will have to do with the war, but in co-operating j with the government and business leaders lead-ers of other nations they will spread a knowledge of American products and trade idenls that officials expect will increase. America's commerce after the war. (. om plcl.iuu of tho foreign staff of the war trade lioiird is being pushed as rapidly 'as possible, it wasisaid today, so that early results may be had from tho government's decision to put every available ship to war purposes by restricting re-stricting trade to necessities. The state department also is sending special representatives rep-resentatives to countries which will be affected bv tho licensing ot imports into the I'nited States, n nd "commercial "commer-cial attaches of the department of commerce com-merce are assisting in the work. The war trade exports will have three principal- duties: To prevent, goods reaching Germany, to guide the course of trade and to release as much tonnage as possible. They now have been stationed in London, Paris, Berne, Scandinavia, liio Janeiro, Hnenos Aires and Tokio. V.stimntes of the tonnage expected to be put. into transatlantic service by restricting re-stricting trade with South America and the far east, are being guarded closelv by the shipping board and war trade board, as likely lo be of military value to the eneiuv, in indicating the sire of tht army which this country hopes to put in Kurope. Neutral tonnage is expected ex-pected to replace American and British vessels in non-hn .:ardous routes through negotiations now in progress. In preparation for recommending tho curtailment of trade with certain conn tries, the shipping board has established a new department, to which representatives represen-tatives of industry will offer their nd-vic.e nd-vic.e us to the amount of the reduction to bo nuid in the import at inn of mate rials affecting them. As it would be impossible to consult cmcIi individual firm, the industries will bo reachod through their trade associations or war service committees. Rec.ommendn t ions of the shipping board as to hnw much tonnage can be taken from nnv one route will be used bv the war trade board as a basis for refusing licenses for sn f f niru t nior cluindiso to permit (he ivloa-o of lhat tonnage. Officials have refused to in dicate what eoiunindil les would 1M ;, t fcetod first, but it is known that do'al els in silk have been here lo discuss tjie probable effect of 1 ho liccuMn- on tlado with (.'hiua and Japan. |