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Conference? What economic slavery was Germany seeking to impose on France, and on the world, from which this war will liberate them? Germans (not Germany) were no doubt increasing the volume of their foreign trade; their manufactures were entering new markets in various countries. Wealthy Germans were investing an increasing quantity of savings in mining, railroad, and industrial companies in France, Italy, Belgium, and other European countries, as well as large sums in similar business enterprises in the United States, South America, and elsewhere. What of that? In what real sense has the United States been subject to "economic slavery" because her business men have borrowed enormous sums from European investors to make their railways and open up their resources? If some of the spare capital of Germany in recent years has gone into French companies engaged in developing iron and coal, does M. Briand seriously contend that this has injured or imposed "domination" upon