New-York tribune., 1920-10-28
Foreign Trade Gain
Over 1919 Nearing
Two Billion Mark
September Returns Indicate
Check in Upward Trend of
Imports; Wheat Shipped
Above Last Years Level

Almost $1,000, 100000 gain in the
value of the Total foreign trade of the
United States during the first nine
months Of this year, as compared with
the spending period in 1919 is
shown by figures of American imports
and exports prepared by the Depart
ment of Commerce.
The bulk of the gain is shown in i'm
port trade, only s2l5, 900 of the in
crease being accounted for by exports
The following table shows the com
parison between the two nine month
periods:
Exports ,.... s6.os2,oooooo ssss7'o0o ooo
Imports ..... 1853. 900 900 e.6e7 600 900
Total...... .$1o,44O.00o.ooo ss.564 600 900
For some months past the foreign
trade tendency has been toward an in
crease in imports and reduction in
exports, through which the normal
favorable balance of American COM
merce has been cut down. For the
first nine months of this year the ex-
cess of exports over imports was ST.
1924 100000, as compared with S3,17O,-
600 600 for the 1919 period.
In September, however the upward
trend in imports was checked, importa-
tions for the month showing de-
crease iAhvalue Of S15O,O00 600, rs com
pared with the August figure. Exports,
on the other hand, gained in value
$28.000,0 900. The excess of exports
over imports for September amounted
TO S243. 900, 900
The exports in September amounted
August Of this year and S395 600 600
IN September of last year
The September imports amounted to
1868 ,O0O,U00 against 5l3,O0O,0oO in
August, 1920, and S435,0O0 600 in Sep
tember 1919
Marked decreases continue to be
shown in the exports of foodstuffs, the
totals for September of this year be-
ing we'll below those of 1919. Wheat,
however, IS an exception. September
shipments being 30,770,O0O bushels, as
against 17,0S9 900 bushels for the same
month last wear. Breadstutfs gen
orally show an advance in the value
of exports but this is more than
counterbalanced BY the decline in the
value Of meat and dairy products ex-
ported Increases are shown in both
volume and value Of mineral oils
shipped abroad, but cotton shipments
remain at about the 1919 figure
The following figures show the com
parison of exports by groups for Sep
tember, 1919, and September, 1920:
Breadstuns ...... $l14.6o4,7S1 tsIo1o d15
Cottonseed OIL Qbs) 4S94. .967 5,497 1G0
CotIouseeG oil .... sSS-,9l7 SlaSo..9S
Meat and dairy
produols ..,.-1 ss4.f7=5 $50 $sl.3lsa4o
Cotton (baies) .2s 0ts 1a6,r9t
Cotton tpounds) 1l9.l3l,3oo 1901 900
Cotton ....... SAl,4+isti4 $a..i0l 4O2
Mineral o.ls Ceaiso s3dg$s so 9t
The imports of gold in September
ar.ounted to S39 900 900 and oXceeded I'd
those FOR August by $4,000 900. For
the nine months ended September of
this year the imports of gold amounted
to Sl99 100000, compared with $4,000
coo in the same period Of last year
September exports Of gold amounted
+ 20 Sl700000O, against $25,0O0,000 in
August this year. and $40 900 900 in
+ September. 1919. For the nine month
( period the gold exports were $3.50 600.
cO0, as against S226 600 900 last year
Imports Of silver were $4,000 600 for
September and S73.00O,O00 for the nine
months. Exports o. silver during Sep
tcmber amounted 10 $4,000 900 and for
the nine-mOnth period TO 500 600 600.