The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1916-05-07
CAUSE FOR ~REJOIcIN0i
An Original View Of Our Enormously
Increased Export Trade.


To rIiE EprroR OF THE suN-Sir: what
follows is not presented Dramatically,
but as a series Of conclusions that l
and others draw from certain admitted
facts and which 70 would be glad to
see disproved by those who may be bet
ter Informed in such matters.
We have been reading for many
months of the phenomenal increase In
this country's exports. THE SUN
gives figures of $40. 600, 900 for the
month Of March and nearly $3.0O0,o0O,-
900 for the nine months then concluded.
These figures are usually presented In a
nj leading to their acceptance as
a cause for congratulation. and they.
and similar figures. are certainly quoted
as reason for such conBratulation py
nine out Of ten Of the persons one
meets.
What IL the justification for this at
tItude? These exports are the produce
OF our mines. our soil and our labor.
They arc something real things we
could actually eat. wear or use to h,l-
ter and warm us or to serve our need
for that facile transportation which ID
the root of modern civilization.
In normal times the export trade may
he considered "a a corollary or the I'M
port trade. and the two may be expressed
as meaning that each country ships to
| the Otilcr articles WHICH tnut olHtI
try either has not or fnds II more prof.
table to import han to manufacture
If u country, such as our own. has a
surplus OF any article IL ships II abroad
and receives for Il money with which
may be purchased. from the country
that tool tho exports or from another,
such articles OF necessity or luxury ms
IL nnds 1t impossible or inexpcdient TO
produce at home.
rrL.s t. ,In ,,.~ a., nH,A Isnno INT
II Is not so now. Instead Of the species
~ barter that is the basis of ordinary
international trade. this country IN maxi
ing outright sales of all that 1t can hur-
ricdly and wastefully produce. and 10
receiving in exchange, not the tangible
rccompcnse that tends to make n r
balance of trade, but at best money. or "A
promise to pay money. which promise
may or may not 10 kept according to
tho positions In which tho nations find
themselves after the war. Money In IT.
self Is nothing.
Applying tho reductio ed ahsurdum
II We sold and exported oil tho re-
sources Of the country and received
therefor al the money Of tho world we
should perish from want II the other
nations found It iucxpedIeut or impos-
sihlc TO satisfy our needs IN exchange
for the moneys thry had paid us. 70
America the billions It Is now receiving
are valuable only as they may ho used
to purchase from other peoples articles
at necessity 81 luNu'N that We should
uthcTwis" have 10 produce from our "
materials by our own labor. Unless We
can. later. hire the nationS OF Euro!"
or Asia or South America to work for
us in exchange FOR tho money Europe
.s now r'N ng ~ "o shall hay" .N-
changed our substance for = shadow.
l'cw persons. VIII listen To- this. hr"uA-
toned 10y generations of normal conll-
tinus TO look upon money aa something
of real value. they cannot understand
that 1t j.. after al. oul. a medium Of
exchange. and e 10 value unless s"ue
on" has something. labor or material. To-
sell Won in exchange for II.
surely there II at least u posi-
bihty that his nation may find the
other nations with It'll. or nothing Ia
hire - sell n Tor u long time To come,
T. is commonly said that they will ne
Ntty arXious Ia I,iN after peace w. lie.
clirod. which means that they will take
more from us rather than send any
thing back. In tn" meantime Wa should
loo I,>or, very poo', having scattered
the cream Of our resources abroad and
having further complicated our misori"s
10y setting w a false STANDARD of
t'aNagaut living on the strength OF un-
TCaliZJhls futures.
pr course ~ We can "s,t tight" fpg lore
enough, worN'c ard living hard. and
can. escaping by the blessing of rrhvi-
dcnce the pcr,ls OF repudi1tiol,, conquest
and coniiscation. hold on To- what hHs
been paid 70 us until there IL again In
the outside world something To buy with
T., We shall h} IN M suNilhlo position
Eut his involves = great many IFS,
and a painful iu1'''rmiui'e period of
dis"rgauizaton and hardship.