Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1920-01-27
BELGIUM FAST
BUILDING ITS
TRADE STATUS
Merchants of War-tOrn COun'
try Quickly Renew Ante
Bellum Standards.
SIGNS BRING HAPPINESS

WASHINGTON. Jan. 27.-Heroic
Belgium, war ridden, almost ruined by
the depredations Of the invader, appar-
emily is going to be the first of the
European nations to fully rehabilitate
herself. This is foreshadowed by the
nature Of her imports from the United
States, as well as the fact that on no
occasion since the cessation of hostilities
have her merchants overlooked an OPP
~portunity to renew and restore to pre-
war standards. their trade with this ma
ton. Figures made public by the de-
partment of commerce give proof suf-
fcient Of Belgium's plans to build again,
on the ruins of the old, her homes, her
and her industries.
For the first nine months of 1919 Bel
glan imports from America included:
Household goods and personal effects,
$1,505, 000; cattle and horses, $790,00;
lumber, ST. 15,OOO; iron and steel prod
ucts, $~9,524,O0O; electrical machinery and
appliances, S64S,O00; hinder Irvine,
$685., 600; refined copper, S90S,O0 300; alu-
minum manufactures, 1888, 600; zinc
spelter, $4,000; hops, $91,S00, and malt,
S2,732.OO0.
All of these to Belgium, whose total
erea is only 1873 square miles.
LATHES AND OTHER
MACHINE TOOLS HUM.
Conspicuous among the iron and steel
products, and indicative of the energy
put forth by the stricken people to re-
gain a lost commercial ranking, are
lathes and other machine tools, sharpen
ing, grinding and metal working ma
chinery. together with countless items Of
lesser importance. All, however, Will
serve to replace in Belgium factories the
machinery and equipment carried away
or destroyed when the German hordes
drove across the little nation with only
a desire to wreak havoc and lay a path
Of waste.
Arteries of transportation must needs
be rebuilt If the country is to thrive.
Thus, Belgium has come into American
markets and has bought up railway
equipment; she has bought m'Tor trucks.
she has contracted for vast quantities
of iron and steel hilletS, bars, rods and
shows plainly, officials explained, what
depredations were committed on the ma
/ TONS rolling stock and motive power.
ROOD PRODUCTION
A LITTLE TARDY.
Along with all of these articles have
gone immense supplies of food commodi
ties. Belgium's food producing districts
have not vet regained their potency.
BELGIAN buyers have been in the mar
kets for everything that goes on the
dining table, and tho quantities pur-
chased give a feeling of confidence among
American dealers that Belgium's re-
Operative powers are fully able to meet
demands which must, of necessity, be
placed on them.
Witness these fgures Meat and dairy
products exported to Belgium during
the first nine months of 1919 aggre-
gated 500. GS4,O0O. OF this sum, So, 100000
consisted of butter. cheese and evapo-
rated condensed milk. Included in the
meat c-ousignmcnts were 127. 4GG, coo
pounds of lard, which Is valued at SIS,
O0O,OO0-seventeen pounds for every per
son in the nation.
There were also lard compounds to-
falling . 1,97O,0O0 pounds aud worth 50,
! $4,000 sent over in the same period.
Bacon shipments amounted to 72,973,O00
pounds, worth 500. 1913, 900. and hams an /.
shoulders aggregating 2s,S53,00o pounds,
worth $500 n0. Edible vegetables, oil"
and fats and other articles Of food also
were included IN the heavy shipments.