The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1916-07-26
TRADE WITH GERMAN GATEWAYS
DECLINING.

WASHINGTON, July 26-(Special
correspondence total trade with
the four gateways to Germany, namely,
Denmark, the Netherlands, Norway
and Sweden, fell off SOL 100000 during
the eleven months ended May, 1916,
compared with the similar period of
1915, or from $3.50, 100000 during the
latter to 2S9,0OO,OOO during the for
mer period Practically the entire loss
of trade is accounted for by the de,
crease tn exports, which totaled 1926
600 900 during the 1915 period and
1888 100000 during the 1916 period, a
loss OF $SS,0QQ,00O. Imports from
these countries decreased but $4,000.
600 for the 1916 compared with the
1915 period, estimating those from
Denmark. This is but another refuta.
ton of the democratic claim that to
the administration belongs the credit
for our increased trade; that ours is
not a war order prosperity.
The department of commerce has
featured our trade with these four
countries as a shining. example of our
increased sales to neutral customers.
The department has intimated that IN
no sense of the word could our eX-
ports to these German buffer states be
considered as munitions Of war, al.
though it has been fact known to
everyone that they have been pur-
chasing immense quantities of goods
in this country for trans-shipment to
GERMANY But the allied powers have
differed with Secretary Redfield and
his chorus of prosperity warblers.
Great Britain and France refuse to ac-
ccpt the Redfieldian definition Of war
munitions, which excludes all supplies
save explosives and ammunition. In
the opinion of the allies anything
which will assist the enemy in carry
ing on the war is properly character
lied as munition of war. Hence, we
find that, month by month, as the Brit
ish blockade has frightened around Ger
many, exports from the United States
to the four countries skirting the
realm of the kaiser have declined.
Finding that many commodities are Ii.
able to seizure bp the British and the
French as contraband of war, these
four countries are curtailing their or
ders from us.
During the eleven months of the fis-
cal year 1913, when the republican tar.
if law was in operation, our trade
with these four countries totaled $685.
600, 900 and this yielded us favorable
trade balance of $97 100000. During a
similar period of 1914, eight months OF
which was under the democratic near
frec-trade law, and before the war, our
total trade with these same countries
was $193,O00,0O0, giving us a favorable
balance of $S3,0O0,O00, a decrease OF
$14,OO0,00O. During the 1915 period
our favorable balance amounted to
1921, 100000 and for the eleven months
ended May last it was $751;, 100000. AS
the iron ring of England is forged
more firmly around the central powers.
we may expect to see our exports to
the four. German portals squeezed out,
unless satisfactory guarantees are Civ
en- against their trans-shipment to the
Prussian empire, and to the extent
that the four countries dispose of their
domestic products to Germany at ex.
tortionate prices, the markets of the
United States, opened wide by the Tn.
derwood law, will be saved from Scan
dinavian and Dutch competition. But
don't thank the democrats.