The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1918-08-22
IMPORTATION OF
 LUxURIES INTO
 U. s. FALLING OFF

Importation of luxuries into the United States in the fiscal year 1916 shows material fall-off when com pared with the preceding year, and a marked decline when compared with the year before the war. Just how great the actual reduction is difficult to state, because of the fact that many of the articles usually classed as luxuries are stated only in figures of value, and as prices of these per unit of quantity have ad vanced the lower value figures do not adequately represent the decline in quantities imported. In practically all articles in which quantities are stated the fall-off is very large, and in those measured only by value fig ures there is in most cases a material reduction.
 A compilation by the National City Bank of New York shows that in practically all the imports usually classed as luxuries the 1918 figures fall materially below those of the pre- ceding year, and are far less than before the war is quite natural by reason of the fact that many of the articles of this character originated in the European countries, some in the countries with which we are now at war, and some with our Allies now too busily employed to manufacture or otherwise accumulate materials of this class for exportation. The banks figures show remarkable declines in the 1918 imports of practically all ar ticles classed as luxuries. In art works, for example, the value of the imports of 1918 is but about $11 ,00O,- 900 against $23,000,000 in 1917, and $35, 100000 in the fiscal year 1914, all of which preceded the wear. In auto mobiles the value in 1918 was but about $50,000 against nearly S2,000,- 900 in 1913, and more than $2,000,00O in 1912, while the average value per machine imported in 1918 was less than one-half that before the war. Decorated chinaware imported in 1918 was but about $3,500,00O in value against practically $8,000,000 in 1914. Of cotton laces imported in 1918 the value was but about $10, ,00O,- 900 against $16,500,O00 in 1917, and nearly $34,000,000 in 1914. Of silk faces the 1918 imports were valued at but little more than one-half those of 1914. Of cotton plushes and velvets the quantity imported in 1918 was less than 100000 yards against g more than 3,000,000 in 1917, and practically 5000, 900 in 1914 Of ostrich feath- CTS, in 1918 the imports were valued at nearly s1,O00,OOO against nearly S4,000, 900 in 1914 and over S6,00O,- 900 in 1913. In precious stones the total for 1918 was but about $32,- 100000 against $47.O00,OOO in 1917 and $50,000,00O in 1913; while of pearls alone the value in 1918 was less than $2,O0O,0O0 against over S6,000,000 in 1917, and more than S10,O00,O00 in 1916.
 In the articles of food usually classed as Iuxuries when imported there is also marked fall-off. The cheese imported in 1918 amounted to but about 9,O0O,OO0 pounds against 15,O0O,0OO in 1917, and 64,000,O00 in 1914. Of entrants the imports of 1916 were over 5,000,000 pounds against 25,0O0,OO0 in 1916 and 32,Ooo,000 in 1914, and of dates only 6,000,00 pounds in 1918 against 34,0o0,0o0 in 1914; while olives and olive oil show totals in 1916 of about one-half those of the year before the war.