The Washington herald., 1921-04-25
SLUMP IN EXPORTS
LARGELY DUE TO
LOWERED PRICES
Main Products Forming
Trade Now at Half the
Former Price.
AMOUNT OFTEN CUT
Price of Cotton in February
17.2 Cents LIB. Against
37.5 Last August.
AMOUNT OFTEN CUT

The big fall-of In value OF mer-
chandise exported from the United
States Is due, in a considerable
part. to lower prices. One scarcely
realizes, says q statement by the
National City Bank OF New York,
the reduction in export prices which
has occurred in the last few months
and the effect Of this reduction upon
our export trade. while doubtless
a part of the marked decline re-
corded in the March export figures
is due to reduction in the quantity
OF certain lines of products export
ed, the fact that many of the prin-
oipal factors forming our exports
are now going abroad at practically
half the former price per unit Of
quantity accounts in considerable
part for the decline in the total
value OF merchandise exported.
Export Priees-
While figures of export prices in
March are not yet available. those
OF February. 1921. as recorded by
the government, indicate that many
Of the important articles now pass
Ing out OF the country are going
at less than half the price per unit
OF quantity Of those being exported
few months earlier. Take cotton.
Tor example, one of the big factors
in our export trade. The oficial rec
ords Of the government show that
the average price per pound of the
cotton exported in February. 1921
was lie per pound. against 37.5c
In August, 1920. and 45.3c in June.
Flour. another big item in the ex-
port trade. was exported in Febru-
airy. 1921. ut ss.37 per barrel. against
WEB in the preceding September;
copper averaged in the February
exports 13.7c per pound. asainst soc
in August. and 2o.Ic in February of
1890; corn exported in February
Ni' averaged s5c per busheI,
ing year.
With the fall in the price Of raw
cotton. that of cotton manufacturer
'orrespondinsly declined. the aver
age price of unbleached cotton
cloths exported in February having
been ll.sc per yard against &c In
august. 1920: and bleached cottons
l7.fc per yard against s3.2c in the
preceding September. Even in
meats. in which the export prices
nave shown q less contrast with
those of last year. the average price
in February was materially below
that of the corresponding months
OF the preceding year. canned beei
Exported averaging l6.3c per pound
against f2.2c per pound in .Novem.
Der, only four months earlier; bacon
2o.5c per pound against 2t.lc a year
earlier: lard 15.2c against 2s.sc per
pound one year earlier: and refined
sugar exported in February. 1921
showed an average Of &c per pound
against 1I.Sc in November, four
months earlier.
| In two classes of merchandise ex-
ported. steel and petroleum. the
prices Of February, 1921. showed
little. If any decline compared with
the corresponding period Of the
preceding year In most of the
manufactures OF iron and steel, tho
February. 1921. prices are. in fact
higher than those of February, 1920
and the grand total of iron and
steel exports in February. 1921
was sl01. 1.205, 900 against 81, 500. 00C
in February of last year. In min.
eral oil, practically all classes show
higher prices in February. 1921
than in the same month of the pre-
ceding year, and at the same time
an increase in quantity exported
the total number of gallons of min.
eral oil in all forms exported in
February. 1921. having been 49,,
$50, 900 valued at s46,S79.000 agains,
226.723.eo0 gallons. valued at s34,,
$4,000 in February Of the preceding
year.