The Washington herald., 1921-05-23
lnce -: 112.502.000 259,0s4,0O
Trade Better In March.

AA-TVV-sOVO -OtsOJfpUUU
Trade Better In March.
OF export activities. copper and
beer are the only ones which show
increases as compared with last
year. although many other articles
made a much better showing in
March than they did in the preced-
ing month, raw silk being par
ticularly noticeable in this respect
In raw cotton the figures for the
first quarter of this year, as COM
pared with that of last year, were
40.421 900 yen. as against III, ,sos. 900
yen, while for wool the figures
were. respectively, l.sS6,o00 yen and
35.1S6,000 yen.
The official report of the depart
ment of commerce. which is ex-
pert at detecting silver Innings.
gives the following consolinE COM
ment: Japan's external commerce
In the first quarter of the present
year fell OF remarkably, as COM
pared with the corresponding pe-
riod of 1920, but on close inspec-
tion 1t will be found that both ex-
ports and imports have been in
creasing gradually every month. A
feature, which is noteworthy in the
general tendency of Japan's for
eign commerce. is that the import
excess for March showed a decrease
OF 40 per cent, as compared with
year"
Low Prices Affect Statistics.
The official review also points out
that the figures given do not give
talr IDEA of the volume of busi-
ness as decrease of prices enters
IN as an important factor in this
respect. 1T is quite evident" saws
the report, that the decline in the
export trade can be attributed large
!y to the worldwide uneasiness in
commerce and trade, but the steep
decline in the prices of commodi-
ties is also a potent factor. In
the first quarter of 1920 prices
reached their highest peak, where
as during the first quarter of the
present year they were at the low
est ebb since the 1920 crisis"
a very potent factor in trade IL
OF course. the amount of warehouse
cargo, figures for which are given
IN detail. showing that last March
there were 32.S44.4O5 packages val
ued at 713,7s3.437 yen, as against
<'.oZs.lsl: valued at ss3,31s.s72 ven
Tor March of last year.
To Improve silk Trade.
An interesting event during the
past month was the coming together
OF tne exporters OF manufactured
silks Tor the purpose of rescuing the
market In America for this product.
as this trade has fallen into such
Dau ways that a combination of New
YORK exporters called attention that
something must be done il commerce
along this line is not to suffer very
seriously. As result both jap
ahese and foreign exporters in Yo-
konama came together and took the
Dull by the horns. it was generally
ADMITTED that various bad practices
were being indulged in by many silk
makers, such being made possible
through the fact that the inspection
or export goods by the government
has proved to- be almost WORTHLESS,
ooth In respect to quality and to the
amount of yardage which the Off
cial certificate shows there should
De In a piece 1t was also brought
SopdhSSc manufacturers
had not shown good faith in living
up TO contracts, but at the same
time IL was shown that some Amer
lcan importers had been guilty also.
The New York importers, both
american and Japanese. having de-
liVered a polite but firm ultimatum
TO the effect that reform must be
brought about. the silk men in Yok-
ohama have become very busy and
expect to see to 1t that better goods
are produced and that an inspection
In fact as well as in name be pro-
vided. The action on the part Of the
SILK men serve as a valuable exam-
pie of what can be done in other
lines as well.
In the meantime, the raw silk
crop is not at all prosperous, and It
Is estimated that the crop of CO.
coons this year will be from 10 to
20 per cent below normal, as many
farmers, who became discouraged by
their losses last year, have given up
of their mulberry trees.
with the result that there will not
be sufficient food for a normal num-
Der of worms. and this in spite of
the fact that the cost of culture has
fallen off heavily owing to the de-
cline in the price of rice and the
plentiful suppIv Of labor