Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-05-26
WESTWARD FLOW OF COLD
PUZZLES U. S. OFFICIALS
Exports 10 Japan for Past Month Are
at Rate OF S15O,OOO,OOO TO
$500, 100000 a Year.
DIsCovERN is DIsCoNcERTING
Mystery More Economic Than Politi-
cal. and There Is No Disposition
to Question Motives Of Govern
ment or Citizens Of Mikado.

WASHINGTON. May 25.--Treasury
officials. engrosscd in tho far-rcaching
program Of International financing
upon which the country lately has en-
tered. to o-day turned their chief attcn-
ton TO tho unexpected and somewhat
disconccrtinS discovery that for the
past month Japan has been withdraw
ing gold from the United states at the
rate OF sl5n,U0u,OoO To soOO,0Oo.0lO "a
year
Gold exports 10 Japan within the
past three or four weeks. it was stated.
have been between SlO.oOO,ooO and $l3. :
100000. Since January they have to-
tailed $35.000.oo0. Within the next few
days. tho government has been in
formed. they viii approximate 30 per
cent Of the entire sum already exported
in 1917.
Shipments arc being made by bank
ing interests with the fun knowledge
OF the Japanese government Iii at
least ono instance the Japanese gov
crnmcnt has approached this govern
mcnt with q view to facilitating the
transpacitic movement.
Officials here cannot account for the
seemingly large movement on the
ground that 1t is to restore the balance
in trade, aud investigators arc check
ing the foreign commerce statistics to
ascertain if the big shipments arc due
to economic laws.
The mystery is more economic than
political 1t is said, and there is no.
where apparent any disposition to uucs-
inn 4 1,r nf
citizens Of Japan in Withdrawing air
the gold to which they are entitled At
the same time. it is realized that heavy
highly undesirable.
CUNLIEEE SURPRISED
At WESTWARD TENDENCY
british officials. including Lord Cun-
life. governor Of the Bank OF England.
have noted with surprise tho tendency
OF american gold to how westward. aud
have discussed the situation with the
Treasury officials. The British agree
that il is to the interest of all con
ccrned that the United States conserve
its supply OF gold. although il has at
present the largest store ever held
within a single nations boundaries. anl
greatly in excess of actual require
mentS.
added to this is the apprehension
that some sccpagc from the golden
stream may touch the shores Of Ger
many. and gold is one of the last things
that this government and the allies
want Germany to have.
Only two other nations have been
withdrawing gold from the United
States recently. Spain and Mexico.
Mexican and British officials have CO.
operated In watching shipments, both
to Spain and Mexico. to the end that
none of the gold might reach Ger
many. and have satisfied themselves
that none has done so.
They feel sure that none OF the ship
mcnts TO Japan will find their way 10
Germany. Japan is regarded as doing
tremendous work in her sphere of
the war. rendering "a valuable aid to
the other allies in every way and with
the full intent OF continuing this aid
Under present laws, there is. no way
Of preventing the export Of gold from
the United States. Only by legislation.
so far neither needed nor contemplated
II Is said, could the President be en-
powered to place an embargo on gold.
But there are ways OF dlscouraEinE
such shipments. and these ways have
been put into operation recently, with
CONTINUED on Second Page.5