Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1916-11-02
AMERICANS PLAN.TO
GET SWEDISH TRADE
Business Agents Now Laying
Foundation For Future
Commercial Gain.

Stockholm, Sweden, Thy mail).-Not-
outstanding the many obstacles with
which they meet, Representatives OF
American exporting concerns. here are
~endeaVoring to maintaih trade relations
betWeen the United States and Sweden
so AS to be in position to take advan-
ta5e OF the permanent p loftunities ex-
pected with the conclusion of European
peace.
Prior to the war America played ain
almost negligible part in the trade Of
Sweden, export and import alike. Dur
ing the fiscal year, ended June 30, 1915.
IMPORTS from the United States, how
ever. took q leap which carried them
up more than coo per cent above the
normal. Then came the tightening of
the British blockade and the Swedish
war trade act, which prohibits an i'm
potter from giving guarantees to Great
Rll,aln coNeling goods bought in tls
united States On other neutral
tries. Under these Influences the radc
has rapidly declined, the American i'm
ports tor the drst ttree months OF 1916
having amounted only to $l2,213,5J0
against l.94S, S0l i'll lSl5. Although
the flSureS are not. available, here, it
is said the trade OF more recent months
mas shown Il similar or even greater
falling off. The Swedish government
has adopted the policy OF not announce
ing export or import figures during the
war and 1t is regarded as u nlis2emean-
or TO ask for them. In February, 1916.
the imports from the United States
amounted to a little more than 81, 000,-
geo. against more than 1884, COO. 900 a
year ago. In March the decline was
from SIS, 100000 in 1915 to $4,000, 600 in
1916.
enormous as was the increase in
American imports during the fiscal
year ended Jun so. 1915. the first six
months OF the 1916 fiscal year eciipsed
former figures for a similar period by
nearly $1,000. 000.
ENGLAND contendcd that these enor-
NOUS IMPORTS from America meant one.
of two thingS-either they were going
to Germany through Sweden OF we've,
replacing on the, make here. Swedish
goods shipped to Germany. And so the
blockade lid" was put on hard and
tight, with the result That English naval
authorities now supervise all cargoes
coming from over the Atlantic ocean.
Sweden maintains that much OF the
increased import IRON America repre-
scented goods formerly bought through
Halnbu, that avenue OF trade having
been definitely closed by the war. 1t
was said also to be aue to Increased
, shipping facilities between America and
, the Scandinavian states, including the
establishing of q direct line from Swe-.
den to New York.
Having established this direct trade
connection. the American importers
>'N w ~ aIfN
thus permanently eliminate Hamburg
as a "middleman." The same condition
exists with reference to American trade
with Russia, much OF it having former
~ gone through the Hamburg gateway.
The Germans are admittedly a DStous
over this phase Of the war situation.
In the recent propaganda planned in
Sweden it was acknowledge that the
direct trade lines between Scandinavia
and America, both north and south,
constituted a menace to German trad
ing in future. 1t was further said that
the SWeaes must be convinced their
best interests lay in maintaining for
NOR trade relations with Germany and
should be induced to Specialize" cntw
in certain directions. There Is no M
dication here. however, that the Swedes
will do anything Of the sort, notw it'll
standing the fact that their present
relations with Germany are tfyosf
friendly and trading between the coun-
tries Is decidedly brisk.
American busi. esq. men who hive
carefully studied The situation with an
eye to the future say that the very
character of Swedish imports from
Germany in normal times show the
srea! opportunities tina exist here for
the extension Of American trade.