The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1918-02-27
TRABE WITH
 RUSSIA IN 1917

In spite of the unsettled conditions. the total American trade with Russia amounted to $438,9OO,OOO in 1917, a decrease of only $39,O0O 900, as con- pared with 1916, according to an an nouncement issued today by the Bu- reau of Foreign and Domestic Com merce, Department of Commerce. This decrease was in the trade with Asiatic Russia and is attributed to con- gestion and import restrictions at Vladivostk-
 Trade with Russia in Europe, on the other hand, increased in spite of all obstacles. Imports from European Russia were larger than for any other war year, amounting to SIP, 100000 over half of the normal imports of 1913 ($22,323, ,0O0) and 175 per cent. more than the figures for 1916 ($4,- E79,0OO). Exports to European Rus sia showed a slight increase, from s309, 9,00O,00O in 1916 to $315, 100000 in trade in 1917. The 1917 total rep resents little more than the first II months of the year; trade was prac- tically suspended in December, the ex- ports amounting to only $816,000, as compared with $23,0O0, 900 in De- cember, 1916. The exports for the year 1913 were only $26, ,oOO, but most of the sudden and abnormal ex- pansion has been due to shipments ot war supplies; explosives, firearms, and copper together accounted for $228, 100000 in 1917.
 The articles imported from Euro pean Russia in 19> ' show wide f1uc- tuations from the pro-war list. Calf skins, which were imported to the value of $7 500, 900 in 1913, were put on the embargo list after the war started and failed to appeal in the 1915 and 1916 returns. In 1917, how ever, American firms succeeded in obtaining $1,034,000 worth by special license. Since other hides and skins, imports of which in 1913 amounted to about $8,0OO,OOo, have ceased to figure in the trade, the total decrease in this class of goods alone was about $14,O00 900. Another item that was lost to the 1917 trade was carpet wool, of which about s2,500,O00 worth was sent to this country in 1913. On the other hand, several articles showed remarkable increases, which indicate, not necessarily that larger quantities of these Russian goods are coming into the United States but that pur- chases are being made direct from Russia instead of through other coun- tries. Flax, furs, bristles, and sugar beet seed were formerly handled through Germany and England. The direct imports into the United States from Russia were comparatively small amounting in 1918 to SS66,O0o for flax, $29S, 900 for furs, $24,000 for bristles, and S40,000 for sugar-beet seed; the 1917 figures were $3,05S,0O0 for flax, $2,37O 900 for furs, $407,oO0 for bpistles, and s2,442, 900 for sugar beet seed. Potassium carbonate was an insignificant item before the war (s3.724,O00 in 1913) and did not ap- near in the returns for 1915 and 1916, but i'll 1917 American imports of this article from European Russia amount ed to $800,0l0.
 In the trade with Russia in Asia, manganese is the principal pre-war import that has dropped out of sight during the war period, Sausage cas- ings, however, rose from $99 in 1913 to $996, 900 in 1917, sugar-beet seed from s7,42S to S342, ,c00 furs from $127,O00 to S1SS.O0O and carpets and rugs from $107, 900 to $24O, 900: while purchases Of grass seeds, which were not imported in 1913, were valued at $136,O00 in 1917, The decrease of nearly 2,0OONO 1n the 1917 total for Asiatic Russia from the figures for the preceding year rep resented greatly diminished shipments of sugarIheet seed, hcorice root, and grass seeds, which were at their max imum in 1916 with the following val ues: Sugar-beet seed, 1,05S, 900; lico- rice root, $1, 475, 600; and grass seeds S324. 600.
 In the sales to European Russia, other than war supplies, it is inter- esting to note that the value of ex- ports of mowers and reapers alone (S5, ,40S, ,O0O) surpassed in 1917 the 1915 exports of all agricultural implements (s5,312,O0O) and exports of binder tW1ne wene almost twice the normal figures (S945, 900 in 1913 and $1,S06,O00 in l9l1) and almost nine times the 1916 figures (S212, ,OOO) Exports to Asiatic Russia of both these items were less than IT 1916. Locomotives worth s11, ,2S1,OO0 and railway track material valued at So,' 65OOO were sent to European anc Asziatic Russia together in 1917, as against $3,727, 900 and $4, 900, re-