Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1919-01-12
PANAMA CANAL TO BECOME :
WORLDS BIGGEST TRADE ROUTE
Now Ready to Handle Any Volume Of
Traffic, Col. Harding Tells House Com
mittee-Great Saving in Water Miles.

during 1918 to c.l30 ships was from
1876 in 1917.
Ships of the Anerican-Hawasian
line. which before the war were ths
principal patrons of the canal. hay
diverted TO transatlantic commerce
during the war. They are now pre-
pairing to resume their former routes
and to develop increased traffic.
big increase in commerce between
the Pacific coast of the United State
and the Atlantic coast is to be onesor
the principal features of the 1872,
commerce through the canal, Gov H;trs.
ing believes
That all of the maritime nations
VIII use the canal is a foregone CON
clusion. and already trade routes are
being arranged with the end in view
bnt by far the most dependable and
most ready traffic will be to and from
the west coast of South America
The canal is going to develop these
republics beyond their most extrava-
giant dreams.
Raw Products Await Ships.
All ports of South Ameri0. are piled
up with raw products waiting for bot
toms TO haul this wealth to the fac
tories of the United States--and the
world beyond. There is promise from
the shipping board that these needed
vessels viii soon be supplied as the
first big commerce job of the new
american merchant marine.
only yesterday n big ship sailed
from New York bound for Valparaiso
taking down representatives OF large
financial interests in this country, VIII.
have gone to look over the opportunit,
Tor additional American capital. II is
well known that the Guggenheimst a re
already largely Interested in copper
and other mineral Developments.
a nasty glance at the commerce. of
three or four South American coun-
tries. which obviously must be han
indication of the trade that will
surge through this ocean to ocean
short &
Trade Figures Outlined.
Chile furnished the nitrate of soda
that made explosives and doubled the
agricultural yield-and Chile has q
visible supply sufficient to meet world
demands for at least 100 years $50
Bolivia has made tremendous In
creases in production of tin, and wolf
ram from Bolivia is used in every eiec-
trio light.
Ecuador furnishes the tagna nuts or
vegetable ivory which are used Tor
making buttons and hundreds of other
articles. -
Peru has tremendous yield Of cot
ton and sugar. the former especially
~ supply European QemanQS. HHTu
also has minerals of all kinds-copper,
lead. zinc, etc. -,
Exports Through Canal.
The trade of these countries viii
pass practically exclusively through
the canal. Here, in brief, is what It
means:
Chile's exports in 1916 were sfy1.-.
45S,432. with the United States far In
n 70 -
92,l52,S53. almost twice as much as
Great Britain took. Chile's imports IN
1916 were sS1.220.102, with the United
States. and the shipments have been
$34 1886. as against $20.049,544 from
the United Kingdom. the nearest trade
rival. Chile's principal exports are nh
trate of soda, copper. wheat, iodine.
borate of lime, oats. hay. bran. wool
The principal imports are: Textflea.
mineral products, coal. oils. machinery.
hardware. vegetable products. anipai
products. paper and manufactures.
wines.
Bolivia in 1915 exported $37,1ssASz,
of which $9,757.05S was to the unlte1
States and the shipments have bSe1k
very much larger during the last tWD
years. Bolivia's imports totaled IT,
s04.0S1 in 1915. in which the United
States led with $1.65S.S54- Bolivfass
principal, exports are tin ore. rubber
silver. copper, bfsmuth, cocoa, w63f-
ram, zinc, cattle hides, lead ore, etc.
Even in 1915 Bolivia produced oDe-
fourth of the tin output of the world.
The present great demand and high
price for this product have causes
considerable expansion in Bolivian tin
exploitation. 1t is the only land n
the western continent. where tin -
found and worked in amounts thAtfe>
pay the investment. Boiivia's prtncts
pal imports are iron and steel pr1d-
ucts. textiles-both cotton and wool
machinery. arms and ammunition. en-
gar. -four, coal. railway supplies.
aerated waters, wines, etc.
Peru's Exports and Imports
Peru exported in 1916 a total Of $780,
3S9, SOL OF this ffve-eighths was to the
United States-s50. 565. 066. The impcrts
were 81, 2o0,010. considerably more man
half coming from the United StaAD9--
s24,s66.5s2. Peru's principal exports ere
minerals, sugar, rubber. cotton. vool.
guano. straw hats and petroleum !ahe
principal imports are dry goods and
miscellaneous articles, comestible9 410
condiments. cotton textiles, uo{nz1s
wool and animal hair. tools. ship stofes.
machines and vehicles, wearing app01ek
and notions. -
with American banking facilities es-
ta blished in South America, with aigfent
American merchant marine being butt,
with partiality existing among the
South Americans to do business with
Americans-the United States has .
very large and varied commerce through
the canal awaiting. This is but fr1c-
ton of the general international ana
world trade that will pass to and mo
through tl1is worlds greatest trade gate
way The trend of commerce is already
surgiug through the Panama Canal,
Gov. Harding says.
* mr. cARR|F!S cHFFR