NATIONAL FOREIGN TRADE COUNCIL. 149 



This enormous embarkation of the American soldiers would have been impossible with- 

 out the maritime co-operation of our Allies, especially of Great Britain. British vessels 

 have transported about one-half of our soldiers. 



This service rendered to us and to civilization by the British merchant marine has en- 

 tailed a substantial interference with Great Britain's overseas trade. When the war 

 ends it will find hundreds of thousands, and perhaps even millions, of British soldiers upon 

 the continent of Europe. Great Britain, too, will have a problem of repatriation, necessitat- 

 ing the service of ships, but it will hardly be comparable in extent to our repatriation task. 



The process of repatriation is not likely to begin for some time after the cessation of 

 hostilities. Definite establishment of the peace conditions may require some delay. When it 

 does commence it is probable that because of the rapidly increasing construction of Ameri- 

 can vessels, it will be possible to return more American soldiers per month, under their own 

 flag, than were sent abroad in American vessels. And we should have the extensive aid of 

 foreign vessels to minimize the time required for the return of our troops. 



The troops of most of the belligerents, however, will be able to march or proceed by rail 

 to their homes, and the redistribution of the men to their own places can be carried out much 

 more rapidly, both by the Entente Allies and the Central Powers, than in our own case. 



In the United States, Great Britain and the Central Powers — where the war has not 

 wrought devastation and destruction of industrial plants — the immediate problem will be 

 one of reconversion of plants from production of war material to the manufacture of peace- 

 ful merchandise, and the readjustment of labor so as to provide employment for the millions 

 of men released from war service. In France, Belgium and the other war ravaged territories 

 there will be added the enormously difhcult problem of physical rehabilitation — the clearing 

 away of ruins, the erection of new buildings, the equipment of plants with new machinery, 

 and all the vast labor of the restoration of industrial and agricultural activity and production. 



Thus, as far as the demobilization and readjustment of labor is concerned, all the other 

 belligerent nations are likely to be able to progress more rapidly than the United States, and 

 to that extent to devote themselves more promptly to the urgent problem of renewing their 

 efforts in foreign trade. Great Britain will be able promptly to release a certain portion of 

 her merchant fleet from war service, and to restore it to the commercial enterprises from 

 which it has been diverted, although it will be necessary for her to accomplish fully the re- 

 patriation of her troops from her dominions and colonies. How soon, and to what extent, 

 Germany will be able to resume overseas commercial operations under her own flag will 

 depend very largely upon the final conditions! of peace. 



Freed from the menace of the submarine and from the restrictions of blockades and 

 war zone regulations, the Dutch, Scandinavian, Spanish and other neutral merchant fleets will 

 be enabled at once to render the highest service to their nations, in the rehabilitation and 

 expansion of their overseas commerce. 



Broadly, and in rough outline, that is the situation which will confront the United 

 States upon the re-establishment of peace. It is fortunate for us that one of our greatest 

 contributions to war work will also render a most valuable service after peace has been re- 

 stored. We are building the ships which will be the most effective agency in the permanent 

 solution of these great after-war problems. Always provided, however, that our nation 

 adopts a definite maritime policy which will permit the permanent retention and operation of 

 these vessels under the American flag. Just as the provision of ships has been and is abso- 

 lutely first in importance in war winning service, so is the adoption of the correct national 



