Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1920-12-15
EXPORTS FROM j. s.
BREAK ALL RECORDS
Total for Year Amounts to Near
Eight Billions; Big Trade
Balance Shown.

Washington, Dec l5-Nearly one
half oi the nations notwithstanding over
seas commerce in the past fiscal year WAS
carried IN American ships, Secretary Alex
snder shows in his annual report made
public Monday. The overseas trade
reached the unprecedented total of Sill
S75.42i,0o0 and S5.07l ,905, 900 of IT was
carried IN American-owned vessels as
against 1868, ,359, 900 carried in American
bottoms the year before the war
The total volume of imports and ex-
ports by land and sea WAS sl3 3i9, COL,
600, nearly $1,000. 100000 above the
previous record established in the fiscal
year ended June 30, 1919. Imports for
the last year amounted to 81, ,23S. .62l 900
as compared with S3,095, 720U for the
previous year and almost $1,000 WOW0
for the fiscal year of 1918. The value OF
exports for the last fiscal year aggregated
s. $50. 429. 900. an increase of approx
mately s9cO,OOOOOO over the previous
wear and 5000 OO0.000 over 1918.
MIR Alexander also shows that during
the last fiscal wear the American merchant
feet was increased h., 610 vessels of 3
10000 gross tons and that on last June
30 American shlpplngs'compr'scd =. ls5
vcsscls of l6.32402i gross tons. ms
comparcd with : .92S GNS IN 1914
Growth Of American shipping has been
wholly IN the foreign trade, the secrc-
tary said. much more than hall ot that
growth having taken place slncc the ar-
mi~tlcc # November u. 1918, and the
increase 81 ttc past fiscal wear beng double
that II any wear before the umsnce This
increase no tonnage would mean httle UNI
less a stood niso fer nm increase ~ trade
Quoting from the bureaus statistics
showing An lucrp.lSc of about i5,ON,Uh
not TONS cleared by american ships IN 1920
as against 1914 thc secretary continued.
In word vhlr oar gross tonnage
registered ioI iorclgu trade Is tcntold
what II was M 1914. it has supplied IN
actual employment u overseas trade u
tunes the American cargo and passenger
space available ~ 1914 though IN the
shorter VOYAGES 20 foreign ports ~ North
Amruca, requiring fewer and usually
smaller ships the increase and the de-
maud has not been 81 great
Ia connection with the growth of Amer
.cau shipping and foreign trade, Mr. Alcx-
andcr discussed the aivtsshihty of charg-
Ing OF to the winning Of the war sui
hcient Of the war cost 81 the government
owned ships 10 enable them - compete
with foreign shipping on the basis of
vocatcd tins course on the belief that
only through such action could the ships,
built under wartime stress and ~ wartime
costs. continue TO meet the overhead ex-
penses of maintenance and operation.
We must be candid with ourselves,
he continued The value Of the ships
oWued bv the government must bc re-
duccd 10 their actual value for compctl-
tlvc PURPOSES ut the present time and the
difference between that value and the
first cost should hc charged To tho win
ulug of the war The interest on that dii-
terence. the corresponding contribution to
the sinking fluid and the corresponding
allowance for depreciation Will hc treated
thus IS war lpsses. and this surely IS pref
erablc 10 q continued failure 70 make
annual payments on the account Of the
merchant marine to interest, sinking fund
and depreciation.
Although the nations gross foreign
business was the greatest ~ its history
last year, the secretary expressed the be
lief tlat american exporters would find
il "Jacreasuglv difficult to maintain
their position II foreign markets without
ADEQUATE government and and he urgedCon-
gress 10 provide for expansion Of the for
eigu attache service and asked for in
cres.scd appropriations 10 be used IN the
prc emotion Of foreign trade. For LATIN
American trade development. Mr.. Alex
auder recommended expenditures OF 80
ucr cent more than was used in this field
last wear.
The millions Of dollars that are being
expended to build the government owned
railroad through the interior Of Alaska
said Mr.. Alexander, the large amount Of
private capital that has been and will be
spent 10 develop her mines. to build up
her fishing industry; the certain early
opening Of the vast coal fields; the utilizing
II the great tim resources, etc: all
this would be wasted and her vast re
sources would be worthless II vessels could
not reach and enter her ports or visit the
railroad terminals, caanerles and nearest
ports as outlets TO the many mines.