The Pulaskian., 1917-07-27
COTTON EXPORTERS CLEAN UP IN EAST"
U. S. COMMERCIAL AGENT, BACK FROM THE ORIENT, EMPHA. SIZES THIS MESSAGE
 ON HIS RETURN.

1ly KNOCKS III iHC Ofle1l TOT every American cotton goods exporter.
 Ralph M Odell, known to exporters as the commercial Columbus of the Dutch East Indies, is back i'll this country after a three year tour of in- vestigation of the cotton goods situa- tion in India, China and Java, made for the United tSates Department of Commerce.
 The story he tells and the facts he presents to back it up are both full of interest for the American cotton goods men who have already adven- tured into the Ear East and for those who are wondering if, perhaps, they ! have not waited too long and whether the war will soon end their chances. America Has Good Chances in Orient. This commercial agent is emphatic that the war will not end the prosper ity it has brought America in the Orient and that, if our business mon will continue to go after this business as intelligently as they have during the last three years, they may yet wrest a great share of it from tho Japanese and build up future trade of tremendous proportions
 MT Odell has spent the last six years in the government service as commercial agent During this time he has specialized in cotton goods. His first trip was to Europe and Turkey. His second around Afri- ca. His last trip was his third. The first year he spent in China Six months were spent in the Dutch East Indies and particularly in the island of Java. Last year he devoted to British India
 Golden Chance Lies in Dutch East
 Indies.
 India, China and the Dutch East Indies are the worlds greatest import CTS of cotton goods today, says MT. Odell, and their volume is in the or der given. Of the three, he says, America's golden chance lies in the Dutch East Indies. It is these islands, and particularly the island of Java, which Mr Odell "discoveredp for America and which, by his construc tive advice and work, he helped open up to the cotton goods export men in this country.
 The situation in Java today is. according to MT Odell, quite typical of Indian and China. At the begin ming of the war the importers Of Java had immense stores of cotton goods on hand For three years, they have been drawing on these goods without any material replacement taking place Today, stocks of cotton piece goods in Java and China and the bet l ter grades in India, are nearing ex- haustion. Japan and the United States have both got away from the barrier to win this market with Ja- pan just bit in the lead. But, as Ja- pan has to import American cotton, the odds are about even.
 Friendly Feelings For America.
 There is nothing dry in the figures MT. Odell presents of the needs of Java-a typical land of promise, peo- pied with Dutch merchants who have nothing but the friendliest feelings 1 for America and American business men.
 The rapidity with which genera. trade is growing in the islands is shown in these figures. At the end of 1914, the exports of general mer- i chandise to Java were only S2,741, ,000 At the end of April. 1917, the preced- ing 10 months exports were s16,072,- GOO. The general trade from the In- dies has been as follows: Tn 1914, i $6,451 ,00O; 1915, $15,752,000 1916, t $36, ,S59, GOO.
 Java Comparatively Greater Than
 China.
 People think of these islands as a humble little group, lowing down in the great shadow of their celestial neighbor,y said Mr Odell They do not yet realize that the island of Java alone has 50.000 square miles con taining 30,000.000 people against the I 1900, 000 square miles in China proper and her 330000,000 people. This lit- 1 tie island, in comparison with China, l imported foreign goods of all sorts in 1913 to the amount of $121, ,000.0 900 against China's general imports of s416,00O,00O. That is, Java imported more than a quarter as much as China. Is that a market to be neglected by American
 Java Needs Cotton Piece Goods. i Java needs cotton piece goods and will continue to need them in increas- ing quantities Before the war she imported $30,000, 900 worth of cotton goods to China's $S0.00O GOO.
 Before the war the United States share in this business amounted to practically nothing. Between June. 1916, and June, 1917, there has been