The sun., 1919-04-13
AMERICAN MOTOR
CARS IN 80 LANDS
Export Of Automobiles Was
More Than Tripled Dur
ing the War.
ny II. WALTER DRAKE.

Chairman Export Committee National
Automobile Chamber Of Commerce.
There is no country or consequence
In the world that has not bought Amer
lean automobiles. They are known and
used from Iceland in tho Arctic Circle
to Paraguay, Uruguay and Chile in FAR
South America and Tasmania neas the
Antarctic Circle.
Eighty different countries are shown
on the list OF the Bureau OF Foreign ana
Domestic Commerce TO which automo-
biles and motor trucks we're declared for
export from the United States during
the last year. They include such
slightly known countries as the Barba-
dos Islands. Trinidad and Tobago. Do
minican Republic. the Guianas. Alden,
Shosen. Siam, Liberia, Labrador. Mad
agascar and the many small islands
designated as "Other British Oceania,"
French Oceania," German Oceania,"
"Other British West Indies" the Phil
ippine Islands and the Danish. Dutch
and French West Indies.
War Helped Exports.
Our automobiles have penetrated the
remote corners of the globe and are es-
tablishing their reputation in the high
mountains OF the Andes, the plains OF
Australia. desert sands OF North Africa,
under the torrid heat Of Arabia and in
the frigid regions OF Alaska, Iceland
and the Farce Islands.
Largely as an effect Of war condi-
lions the exports of automobiles and
trucks increased from a little more
than $500 vehicles. valued at $780,
900. 900. in the twelve months ended June
80. 1913. TO S0,7S5, worth ss0.s55. 900,
In the fiscal year ended June 80. 1911
more than TRIPPING in the four year Pc
Rod
The war Immediately stimulated the
export Of trucks, OF which nearly $500
were shipped abroad in the four years
OF the conflict. their aggregate value
being more than $4,000. 900. Most Of
these trucks were for military use. The
first effect on the passenger car business
was to curtail exports. which dropped
from asa during the fiscal year ended
June so, 1914. to 23.s00 the following
twelve months. In 1915 there was a
remarkable recovery. the number ex-
ported (56.20o) almost exactly doubling
the exports in the last pre-war fiscal
year. There was a further increase In
1917 to $4,000. but in 1918 they dropped
to $4,000.
Embargoes Halted Competition.
The increases were due to the ina
billty of England, France. Italy and Ger
many to export automobiles because OF
embargoes proclaimed by the respective
Governments and the conversion of the
factories to war work. This forced
would. -be purchasers OF motor cars to
turn to the United States. which did
not enter the war until April. 1917. Al
though England, France. italy. India
and the Straits Settlements and finally
Canada prohibited Importation Of mo-
tor vehicles as a war measure the in
ci -aseu sales to other countries much
more than made up for the closing OF
these markets. After the United States
went into the war shipping space be-
came exceedingly difficult to get and
passenger car production was curtailed
by the Governments. these facts to-
gether with the large volume of war
work undertaken by the industry con-
tributing to reduction of the exports.
Now that all restrictions on produc-
ton have been removed, that India and
the Straits Settlements have lifted their
prohibitions and our manufacturers bave
turned from work on war contracts to
renewed automobile manufacture the In
dustry is looking forward and laying
plans for a large foreign trade. II
hopes to hold most OF the trade secured