New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1920-09-01
America Far
Behind Britain
Pushing Trade
Less Than Million a Year
Spent by This Country on
Promotion i'm Connection
With Foreign Commerce
British T otal$ 17,52O,OOO
English Drive, Begun Right
After Ar1nistice, Being
Carried on Vigorously

From Tho Tr4bnnes Washington Bureau
WASHINGTON, Aug. 81 Reports
received by the Department Of Com
merce show that Great Britain is
spending millions Of dollars more for
the promotion Of foreign trade than
the United States has allotted for the
same purpose.
During the last fiscal year, the de-
partment reports show, a total of ST.
620,953 was provided by the British
government for the promotion of over
seas commerce, as compared with
$910,510 which the United States gov
eminent is spending to extend Ameri-
can foreign trade.
The figures do not include the
amounts spent by the two governments
for the maintenance Of their consular
services, which look after q large part
of the foreign commercial business of
both countries.
Vigorous Drive by British
The British figures also do not In
cludk the amounts spent by the India
office and the Colonial office. which
maintain their own trade bureaus, and
whose expenses are not reported.
Great Britain, the department re-
commerce Immediately after the armis-
tice. The British foreign trade pro-
motion service, which had long been
subject of dispute between the For
eign Office and the Board of Trade,
one claiming that it was Of diplo-
matte nature and the other maintain
ing that it was primarily commercial,
was reorganized in 1917.
AS a compromise the Department Of
Overseas Trade was established that
year. 1t is jointly subordinate to the
Foreign Office and the Board of Trade,
which still retain some of their COM
mercial functions. The Department Of
Overseas Trade last year was placed
in charge of the commercial work done
by the consular service.
After Overseas Trade
A parliamentary secretary is at the
head of the Department Of Overseas
Trade. He is attached to both the
Foreign Office and the Board of Trade,
but his work is subject to the direc-
WIN VI OOIH Va VIC OCuCI uCpdT s.
AS further step toward reorganizing
the British foreign trade service, the
War Trade Intelligence Department
was transferred last year from the
Board of Trade to the Department of
Overseas Trade.
The Department of Overseas Trade,
together with the Foreign coffee and
the Board of Trade, supervises British
trade promotion.
1t has several classes of commercial
representatives throughout the world.
including commercial counselors in the
large countries, and commercial secre-
taries of various classes attached to
other embassies.
The British government spent $685.
1854 in the home Office of the Foreign
Trade promotion service last year and
$555,365 abroad. This compares with
1921 $50 for 1918-'19.
Special Boards at Work
Special trade commissions are contin-
uallys being sent to the British colo
MES and into new fields by the Depart
ment OF Overseas Trade. The depart
ment had total appropriations during
the last fiscal year Of $1,411,320, as
compared with $556,169 the year pre-
Board Of Trade was l6,7o8,Ss4. viz
The foreign trade service of the For
eign. Office and the British consular
service is not segregated, but is han
died as 1t is in the United States ser
vice, as part Of the departments work.
The Foreign Trade Department Of the
Foreign Office spent $30,739 last year,
while the appropriation for the Brit
1sh consular service for the last wear
was $5,216,352. wa
The increase in the British consular
service, however, can be judged bv the
TACT that Great Britain now has 404
posts abroad, as compared with 299
before the war.
American Expenditures
The American consular representa-.
tives do large share of the foreign
trade promotion work of the United
States, in addition to their other du-
ties. Appropriations for the promotion
OF trade only, however, amounted last
year to only $910,510. 1t was divided
as follows: ~e~
Expenses Of Washington Office. 1920
610; promotion of Commerce in west
ern Europe, $325, 900; promotion Of
commerce in South and Central Amer
lea, 100000; promotion of commerce
IN the Far East, 100000; commercial
attaches, $165,O0O
Inc American government, however.
IS expanding its foreign trade promo.
ton work, as shown by the appropria-
tlons Tor that service, made before tho
war: In TIE fiscal year ending June
80, 1914, only $17A,86O was spent to ex.
tend American trsde ovoreoo.