Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1916-01-18
WAR s CHANCES
FOR REAL TRADE
GAINS IGNORED
Warning Is Sonded to Aned-
can Manufacturers; Amrei-
can Industry Not Gaining
Permanent Foothold Abroad

SPECIAL COeHFHPONDfhChT TO NOHNiNh iouNNst
New York, Jan. l7.--What is to be
Americas permanent gain as result
OF the war? Is American industry
gaining n permanent foothold for its
products abroad? These questions
are being taken up seriously by lead
ers in commerce and manufacture,
and while this country is undoubtedly
making a large present profit out Of
war necessities, the future Is not all
together cloudless
The directors of the port of Bos-
ton recently sounded a note of warn
ing in a report on the foreign trade
of the United states for the year end
ing June 80, 1915. The report says
that exports for the year were ST.
76S geo, 900, leaving balance in ia
vor Of America Of more than $1,000
900. A decrease of $500, goo
in imports helped to increase the
good showing.
But il was pointed out that more
than $7OO,OOO,OOO Of Americas bal
do not constitute permanent trade,
and that the real trade balance on
Legitimate merchandise" was but
5000, 600, 600. or $200OOO,000 less than
the year before the war In brief,
the report says the nation is not build
ing M q permanent foreign trade, but
Is contented with munitions profits.
Manufacturers, Awake"
a similar note is sounded by the
Dry Goods Economist, which says,
under the caption, american Manu-
facturers Must Awake
During the last year there has
been a phenomenal increase in our
exports. but the demand for our
merchandise thus represented has
been created chiefly. if not wholly, by
the war
ITO Central America we shipped
during the first nine months of the
present year less than we did during
the same period in 1914 and in 1913.
our exports to South America, too
while considerably ahead of these for
the first nine months Of 1914, We're
considerably smaller than those for
the corresponding period OF 1913.
Even to China, which for years has
been our leading market for cotton
textiles. we sold less in the first nine
months of 1915 than we did in the
corresponding period Of 1914 or of
1919.
Little Constructive Work.
$50 far as the building up OF per-
mancnt market is concerned very lit
tie has been accomplished. / is not
too much TO say that the great ma
jorty of American manufacturers,
and this is especially true of produc-
crs of textiles and allied lines, con
time To show not merely unwilling
ness to go after foreign markets, but
even 4 repugnance TO so doing. Cases
have come directly under the Econ
omists own observation where manu-
facturers have al first refused an eX-
port order, although the funds in pay
mcnt for the merchandise were al
ready lying in a New York bank
THE special opportunities for in
.creasing our export trade have lasted
almost a year and a half. 1t is time
To ask, what are American manufac-
mrers going to do during the remain-
der Of the war; what will their OPP
portunites for foreign trade he ON
the close of the struggle? We re-
sret to say that in the light of pres
Ont conditions. the answer can not
be an encouraging one
sales Turned Dow7r
In support of its statements. the
journal quotes a letter from the repre-
sentative If four great American con-
Germs who has gone hack TO his native
country, Holland, in an effort TO
build up an export trade. The writer
SAYS that while he intended TO spe-
cialize in food ne found a demand for