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Show OUR FOREIGN TRADE. The Edge bill, providing for the extension ex-tension of credit to foreign buyers, hua passed the senate and there is much reason for hope that tho house will soon take action. It will be impossible for the merchants and manufacturers of tho United States to sell their wanes in Europe to any considerable extent until the war-torn countries are financed fi-nanced and America is the only nation in position to do the financing. Bankers Bank-ers are expressing the hope that tho new head of the department of commerce, com-merce, to be appointed by President Wilson to succeed Secretary Eedfield, will have tho qualifications necessary to insuro the prosecution of a vigorous trade policy by the. department which lntely has been regarded as doing well enough in routine matters but lacking in initiative. "In this respect,'.' says the Commercial Bulletin, "it is felt that the United States is at a distinct disadvantage as compared with Great Britain and France, where the board of trado and department of commerce function actively. Appreciation is not lacking that the department in this country has been hampered by the failure fail-ure of congress to provide ample funds for its work, but it is hoped that this situation may also be remedied. With now life injected into the department, it might very well be expected to take a leading hand in the plans for financing financ-ing Europe, the need of which bankers feol is steadily becoming more vital." Until recent years there has been an almost entire lack of cooperation between be-tween the federal government and the commercial interests engaged in foreign trado, tho cream, of which has always been taken by our foreign competitors. Partial remedies have been applied and when the Edge bill becomes a law American exporters will enter the field, with renewed hope and confidence. Tho government, however, must extend still further aid if we secure full measure. |