The New York herald., 1921-11-23
ARGUES OPEN DOOR
Is THROUGH JAPAN
Kawakami Declares q. s. Elk.
port Trade Expands by
Nippon's Enterprise.
by IL. K. KAwAKAMI.

BY IL. Il. KAWAE<AMI,
Special Correspondent Of the JiN Shinpo,
TOXIC.
Special Despatch to THE NEW York HERALD.
New York Herald Bureau,
Washington, ID. c., Nov. &c.
The principle Of the open door and
equal trade opportunity in the Far East
has been greatly emphasized by the del
egatcs of all the nations represented At
the conference.
This naturally awakens interest IN
American trade in China and the Far
East. Has American commerce suf-
fcred because of the advent of the jap
anese in Shantung. in Manchuria or In
Corea? The question Is especially inter-
esting at this moment when representa-
tives of the largest business firms OF
Japan are in Washington. urging good
understanding between the commercial
interests of the two countries.
Contrary to the belief Of most Ameri-
cans. wherever Japanese enterprise ex-
tends its influence American trade Is GER
tain to increase. and increase by leaps
and bounds
Take the case Of Shantung hrst. I'm
der the German regime not an American
nail was used on the Shantung railway.
Under the Chino-German agreements OF
1898 and 1911 both the Chinese Govern
ment and merchants forfeited the right
of buying in tho open market foreign
materials and machinery to be used In
Shantung, but promised to purchase
them from Germany. It was but nat
ural that American railway materials
and American machinery were complete
ly barred from this province.
Japan has entirely reversed this ex-
elusive German policy. In the five
years from 1915 to 1890 japan expended
$10,397, 900 gold on materials and ma
chinery for the Shantung railways
sum almost equal to the original cost Of
the line. OF this amount about one
third, or $3,046,46s. went to American
manufacturers. The budget for 1921
calls for the purchase mostly from
America Of eighteen locomotives. 2sa
thirty ton coal cars. eleven passenger
cars and twelve cabooses.
The above figures are only for pnr-
chases made directly by the Japanese
management of the Shantung Railway
and do not include imports by other
business firms.
Let us now turn to South Manchuria.
Just as the Shantung Railway was built
and equipped exclusively with German
materials and rolling stock. so the Man.
churian railways we're built with Rus
sian material and equipped with Rus
sian rolling stock. Under the Russian
regime American trade in Manchuria
was a negligible quantity.
The appearance Of the Japanese there
after the Russian war completely
changed this condition in favor of
American commerce.
From 1907 to 1919 the South Man.
churian Railway Company under Japa-
nese management bought American ma
terials to the extent Of $93,790.000 gold.
In addition American machinery and
materials to the sum OF $50. 100000 were
imported to Manchuria In the same
period by the leading business firms Of
Japan.
Turn now to Corea. Here we see the
same progress achieved by American
trade because Of the advent Of Japanese
enterprise.
In the decade following the inaugura-
ton of Japanese rule In Corea, in 1908,
American exports for that country in
creased twenty fold. In 1908. that is.
the ycar before the establishment Of the
Japanese protectorate, American exports
to Corea amounted to only s1s9.1Ss. In
the next year. when Japan became the
mistress of the peninsula, American ex-
ports to the same country suddenly
swelled to s9o6.557 gold. BY 1913 they
reached the handsome fgure of $780,
900. Since then American export trade
in Corca has progressed steadily.