The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1920-03-16
UNITED STATES WORLDS
LARGEST EXPORTER

The United States is still leading the
world as an exporter Of manufactures
The total value of manufactures Ak
ported from this country In the czlen-
dar year 1919 was $3.4ss, ooo. 900.
This figure of s.4ss.ooo.ooo worth of
manufactures exported In 1919. says
statement by the National State City
Bank of New York, leaves the United
States still clearly In the lead as aa
exporter of manufactures. In the year
preceding the war, 1s13) our exporta-
ton OF manufactures amounted to 81
117,ooo, 600. and in 1919. the frst full
peace year following the war. $685.
100000. or three times rs much in value
in 1919 as in 1913.
This phenomenaIly large total of
manufactures exported In the first full
peace year, s3.4ss. ooo. 900. keeps us.
says the banks statement, at the head
OF the list of worlds exporters o:
manufactures. Prior to the war the
United States ranked third among the
list of nations exporting manufactures,
Great Britain being first, Germany a
third, with France a close fourth
With the beginning OF the war the
outflow of manufactures from the
European countries was greatly re-
duced. Germany, was cut Off absolute
ly from the world markets, and the
manufactures of Great Britain md
France found 1t necessary to turn their
attention especially to the require
ments OF the home market. This left
the United States the chief manufac-
turing country upon which the allies
could call for military supplies, or
upon which the non manufacturing
world. Asia. Africa. Oceania. Sou tn
America, and North America outside OF
the United States. could draw for their
daily requirements of manufactures.
AS consequence there came En-
manufactures from the United States,
which jumped from 100000 In
1913. the last peace year prior to tho
war. to $3.4s6. 100000 in the first peace
year following the war. The pheuo-
menal increase in our own exports.
coupled with the decline in the exports
of our former rivals has placed us
clearly in the lead among the world
exporters of manufactures. of course.
none OF our former rivals. except pos
sibly Great Britain. has made any con-
siderable progress in the re-establish-
ment of their expectations OF mann
features,
The only country in which the en-
ports of manufactures in 1919 approx
mate those of the United States. says
the banks statement, Is Great Britain,
whose official figures show total ex-
ports of all domestic products in the
full year Uf based upon the normal
valuation of the pound sterlingl So
$50, 900. and OF articles wholly or
mainly manufactured" $3.o15. 0e0. 900 rs
against our own total of t3.4S6. 900. 900
of wholly or mainly manufactured
articles In the same period.
or course 1t Is not assumed, says
the banks statement, that the large in
crease In value of our exports of manu-
features in 1919 over that of 1918
means corresponding increase in
quantities sent out OF the country. for
doubtless the average valuation of the
articles expored Is fully double that of
the pre-war period, but as this conii-
ton would also apply In the figures 81
other countries ii seems apparent that
the United States sill stands the
head Of the worlds exporters of manu-
features, though the rapid gains made
by Great Britain in 1919 indicate that
a maintenance of our present rank will
require close attention to this line of
foreign trade by the manufactures and
exporters of the United States.