An American on "Made in Germany"

Bruce Herald, Volume XXX, Issue 3104, 3 October 1899, Page 2

An American on "Made in Germany"

: © Mr EL F. L. Orcutt, whose articles in the ( Engineering Magazine ' on machine shop managempnt ia Europe aod America, deals in the Mny number with tbe development of trade under coropetive conditions. He does cot reck much of British peril from German competition. He Bays : — Germans and Americans nre now sending machinery into English colonial possessions, and, in the end, the effect will be beneficial to England, whib? her commercial supremacy will surely remain paramount for years, in spite of the rppeated statement of well-known Englishmen tbat their countrymen are liable to be beaten in the commercial race, owing to the better education of the Germans. Having had considerable experience in both Eagland and Germany, I find ie difficult to trace thia idea to its origin. Like many other popular bugbear?, ifc probably emanates from the political platform, — hatched in the brains of those who have bad no opportunity for first-hand observation; and simply know that Germany i becoming a lively competitor. I believe it is not true to say that Germans are better educated than Englishmen. They are differently educated — notably in the requirement and use ot foreign languages. German manufacturers have the qualification of rapidly adapting themselves to the requirements o* customers. At the same tim^, the German ia more rapidly assimilating new ideas than the Engliwbroan. As to real commercial supremacy, however, Germany is in its childhood compared with England. A large English manufacture.*, who is, by the way, a naturalised Englishman of German birth tells me that he employs m?ny German clerk?, but nearly all are uuder thirty years of age. For the more responsible duties, which come with later years and and greater experience, be prefers Englishmen. German education and training produce dilipent, painstaking* routine workers and highly-trained specialists, but it seems not to turn out a great number of independent thinkers and practical men, — at least, as far as mechanical affairs an concerned . England has nothing to fear from Germany, if she will but awaken to the fact that her workshops need renovating. In natural resourcps she is the equal of ! Germany.* In social institutions, which more or less determine the efficiency of workmen, sb,e is tbe superior. She is leading Germany, however, in capitalistic enterprise and tbe adoption of improved machinery. It is to America that England must look for a formidable competitor. There she is qutriyalled in every instance btjt oneforeign trade, . , . The workshops of Europe rau**t, generally speaking, he re-eqaipped lrom beginning to end, if they would meet American competition.