The sun., 1919-05-12
By EDWARD n. HURLEY.


Section Of The Sun.
Trade between this country and South
America is growing rapidly and to meet
ts needs the United States Shipping
Board Is striving to supply vessels for
that service. To this trade Il has al
ready allocated a feet of seventy-fve
steamships aggrcgating 417,s47 dead
weight tons and thirty-five schooners
with a tonnage Of 132.361. a total OF
1913 vessels.
Even with such disturbance OF trace
as was inevitable during the latter years
OF the war. the share OF the United
States in the total foreign commerce Of
Argentina rose from less than 10 per
cent. in 1918 to more than 80 per cent.
In 1917. In the case OF Brazil the in
cent. while the trade with Uruguay rose
from per cent. to almost Is per cent.
Of the total foreign commerce of that
country.
In January, 1919. almost $4,000, 900
worth of United States goods went to
Brazil. Argentina, Uruguay and Para
quay, an increase of 100 per cent. over
January. 1913. The United States thus
has become the leading market for the
East Coast countries and the principal
source OF their imports.
U. 8. Must Furnish Carriers.
South America has barely 1000. 00C
tons of shipping all told. The greater
part of this shipping Is not available
for release for trade between the two
continents, due to regular and profltabl,
employment at home or in neighhorins
waters. The United States. therefore
must furnish ocean carriers for this i'm
portant trade in such numbers and o.
such class as TO meet every REASONABLE,
demand Of freight and passenger traffic
To this end the United States Ship
ping Board has formulated a programme
of South American operations which will
employ not only the first class ship
now under control Of the board, but ,
special class. building and to be built
for passenger and express freight ser
vice, employing vessels which In spec,
and appointments will equal or surpas
those in any other service.
The board has let contracts for twent,
10000 ton steamships which are nov
being rushed to completion. These ar
intended for the South American trad
and will be specially fitted for tropica
voyaging.
Ships are needed to carry coal to Ri
de Janeiro, Montevideo. Buenos Ayres
Callao and Valparaiso. During the wa
we got into the South American Goa
market, but only to a limited extent. du
to the handicap OF d shortage OF ships
To reap the full benefit of the marke
many ships must be employed. and ship
allocated to the South American trad
under our programme will be able I
carry coal. That will mean a good dea
to the coal mines of this country.
will also mean something to the railwa
lines which transport coal to the sea
board.
Demand for Farm Machinery.
There Is a big demand in Argentine
Uruguay and Brazil for agricultural ma
chinery Of all kinds. They take every
thing from harvesters and threshing ma
chimes down to corn cutters. This trad
is Of great value to us In developing a.
important industry OF the middle Wes
With our own vessels employed. we wi
| be able not only to keep the market W
now have In South America, but to NEE
the competition that will be furnished b
England.
Agricultural development Is one of tn
big things Of the future in souther
Brazil. Uruguay and Argentina. We Wi
help that development by providing tn
farm tools big and little. which agricul
ture needs. and We will carry them 4
American ships.
Intensive development and a great In
crease in the output OF mines. particu
larly in the west coast countries, is sur
| to come Copper in Chile and Peru ar
the big assets OF the future, and larg
sums of American capital have been in
vested in the development OF these min
, ing properties. That means a big In
| crease In demand for mining machinery
We will supply that demand. and we wi
send the machinery through the Panam
Canal in American ships.
Railway construction. which wa
stopped when the war began. will be re
newed In most OF the South America
countries on a long scale. We are abb
to supply steel rails, locomotives car
and every kind OF railway equipmen
Some OF our biggest industrial organize
/ lions are out after this trade.
Railway Loars Probable.
Port and other public works are to b
| resumed in the near future by sewers
| OF the South American Government
It is not unlikely that they will get loar
for these purposes in the United State
II we furnish the capital. We certainl
should furnish the material. and the ma
l
An increased demand for gener;
merchandise of every kind from II
United States for South American e.
port Is already being felt in our ma,
kets. Our manufacturers and exporter
are preparing to meet the orders. Und,
the Shipping Board programme they ca
count on American vessels TO carry the
goods.
Outgoing cargoes are all very goo
but we are not looking for one wa
trade and our ships are not coming baC
from long voyages in ballast. 1t Is Il
tended that they shall bring back coff,
from Brazil for the American breakfa
table: rubber for our motor plants ar
manganese for our iron and steer indu
tries. Their cargoes will include wo
from Argentina and Uruguay to su
: plement our own production and Re,
our textile industries, as we'll as hid
} for our tanneries.
freight our ships with copper %
brought through the Panama Canal 4
; cur electrical industries, and the I
, from Bolivia will be brought in {
| smelling here. instead of going to En-
land as It formerly did. The nitrate
, Chile will be transported In Americi
= vessels for American farmers.
? Chocolate beans and ivory nuts fro
= Ecuador will be included In tho retu
Z