REBUILDING EUROPE

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 205, 24 May 1919, Page 7

REBUILDING EUROPE

CO-OP EBATION •B3T- BRITISH-.-AND ' AMERICANS. ' • • Great-firms in England and'the United States are now actively at work on plans for reconstruction in, the devastated areas of tlic Continent. - For the moment their operations are mora particularly concerned with Belgium, whose Government and people express a cordial desire for Anglo-American co-operation in rebuilding the Country's -shattered industrial fabrio. . :■. As to France, reconstruction, as far as .Possible, .will be taken in hand by (he .French .tWmselves. Mr. Charles if. Schwab, the Bethlehem "Steel King," 'recently, went .to France.' lo investigate reconstruction opportunities. "Word lias been gent to th«s ■ United- States that France was in the market, for 6',000,C00 tons of foreign steel. Mr; Sclnvab, who has now returned-.to America, found that •while-French'industrial rmls would undoubtedly be; large, there was ; a nationwide' determination to supply tllem, as far' as iws'sible, at home. •. : ' , The presence of nmn.v important American business men in Europe.at this time is explained 'by.-.soni? of ' them as 'being due in part to a desire to resume. when■ peace permits, their former extensive business'■ relatinns with Germany and Austria-Hungary:- •: Both these' couniries were enormous' buyers of Anierican cotton; copper, and oil. ''Co-operation, not competition, 6hould be the aim of British and American business men," said Air. Edward I'. Stettinius, the American financier, to a representative of "The Daily Mail," ou the eve. of. his departure i'or - France. Mr. Stettinius, who-is resuminghia former activities as a partner in Messrs.-J.-I*. Morgan and Co.. of New-York,'after resigning from. Hie , Second Assistant Secretaryship of War, will devote some of his time in Eurqpe during;the next few months to-assisting in liquidating the business affairs-of the American Expeditionary Force—"Daily Mail."