Evening star., 1914-10-11


Bohemia is noted. 1t has the largest
cotton spinnery in the dual kingdom.
Both the cotton textiles and the linen
goods of Bohemia have special quail
tiles known to world trade.
Handmade lace IL a cottage industry
of the mountain districts
These are a few illustrations OF the
special manufactures whose output will
only suffer temporary interruption on
account Of the war.
Bohemia also has natural resources
in the way of coal and iron ore, which
furnish a basis for some minor iron
motives. steam engines and various
kinds of machinery. Bohemian hops
are the staple supply of some great
breweries. whose product Is sent abroad,
taken by foreign breweries. War can
interfere with this traffic only for a
brief period. The same is true of
mineral water and mineral salts.
to raising beets for sugar. The beet
sugar production may be curtailed for
year. but hardly longer.
Hungary is the agricultural section
of the dual monarchy. although 1t has
coal and iron ore mines. which form
the basis of a minor iron and steel
industry and also of an agricultural
implement industry. Its grain fields.
since in ordinary years there is a large
surplus stock Of wheat, barley. rye
The beet area is also large one. and
the bulk of the beet sugar produced In
the dual monarchy comes from Hun
gary. When the war broke out the
$500, ,o0o. 900. This was double the
amount ten years previously and was a
tribute to the government policy In
stimulating and developing agricul-
ture.
Other sections of Austria reflect the
general character of the population
and of the country. The Germanic sec
tions, of which Vienna is the center.
are almost duplicates of parts of Ger
many in their agriculture and in their
industries. The Austrian Poles are
both farmers and artisans. The Slavic
population is largely agricultural.
The most valuable natural resource
of Austria-Hungary is petroleum. The
portant factor in the trade and indus
try Of the country. The investments
made by Berlin banks in these oil
wells was a motive in the effort Of the
Standard Oil Company. The possibility
of Russia absorbing Galicia must
therefore, be disquieting to Germany
as well as to Austria.
While the dual monarchy has natural
resources of coal, iron ore, oil and
some other minerals. these are not ex-
tensive enough to furnish the founda-
tion for extensive national industries.
The textile industries are by far the
most important, and they are depend
ent on imported raw material
In q normal year, when there Is no
boom, but when the factories are rea-
sonably active. Austria imports about
25o.ooo tons of raw cotton: cotton yarn
quantity of crude cotton goods, which
are made up into the finer fabrics. The
United States supplies the bulk of this
cotton. about two-thirds of it. After
that comes India. and then Egypt.
Raw wool and crude woolens are i'm
ported to the value of $50. 1000, 600 and
upward. Argentina and Australia sup
ply the bulk OF the raw wool in the
proportion of two tons from Argentina
to one ton from Australia
Leather crude and semi-manufac-
tured. which enters SO generally into
the high-grade leather goods that are
manufactured for export, comes chiefly
from the European countries. Austria
is not a heavy importer of raw hides
ondary form. although 1t imports some
calfskins from Germany and goat and
sheep skins from England
Silk, which enters into the fine fab
rics. is imported, both raw and in semi
finish form, to the amount of Sill
100000 to $4,000 900 annually. What
are known as mining and smelling
large number of semi-flnished iron and
steel commodities are imported chiefly
from European countries.
IN Its foreign commerce Austria-Hun-
h lINy< - =
factor in the sense OF overseas trade,
especially in the neutral markets Of
Latin America and the orient. It's COM
merce is largely continental commerce
since its trade is with neighboring
countries.
Germany dominates Austria CONNER
cially. just as 1t does politically. Ordi-
narily one-third of the imports are
from Germany. apd Germany absorbs
part of the exports for redistribution
convenient port for a large section OF
Austria and dominates 1t commercially
and financially.
1t was remarked by one of the Ameri-
trian trade Germany was both princi-
pal and agent, since German firms con-
Quoted manufacturing. banking. ship
ping and commercial business of gt-
gantic Importance within its boun-
daries. Germany has been the middle
man commercially between Austria
Hungary and the outside world.
This is a fact Of moment in the read
Justment of Austria's foreign trade.
which may result from the war. II
Germany is defeated Austria suffers
not only as political ally, but as a
commercial ward an well.
The Balkan trade is the most tmpor-
tant stake involved in the present war.
The Balkans supply part Of the raw
materials that enter into the Austrian
industry and the bulk Of the foodstuffs
that are imported come from the same
source. The Balkans also take large
quantities of Austrian products. par
tfcularly machinery.
Exports to Rumania, Bulgaria. sarvia.