, 1923-10-13
Selling More Than Ever

n leadlnR paper IN the MISSISSIPPI valley
which is opposed to the tariff, in favor of the
league of nations and an exponent of other in
Iternationalism has this to say editorially:
"Thc whole world knows that something must
be done to bring Europe back to sanity. We need
a better market for our wheat. Great Britain
'c3nnot buy supplies from us because slack trade
makes her unable to pay for things she would
like to USE"
We presume that it would be admitted that
Europe was sane in pre.war days, way back
prior to 1914. The logical and inevitable infer
encc of this editorial is that when Europe was
sane she was a better customer for our wheat
than at present. Therefore to increase the sale
of wheat to Europe we must get her back to a
pre-war basis.
On September II the department of commerce
issued a statement showing our exports of wheat
and wheat flour to Europe in pre-war days and
during the last three years. According to the
official figures, to quote from the report.
"rhe average pre-war exports of wheat grain
from the United States amounted to 81, 000,0 900
bushels per year, and exports of flour averaged
10,61S,00 barrels, equivalent to approximately
a ,00O,o 900 bushels of wheat. OF these amounts
Europe took, on the average, 81 per cent of the
wheat exports and 43 per cent Of the flour ex-
ports.
"The average Of wheat grain exports during
the past three calendar years has been 221, 000,-
900 bushels, while exports of flour averaged IT,
227, 600 barrels, equivalent to 77,500,000 bushels
of wheat. OF these postwar exports Europe took
50 per cent of the wheat and GO per cent of the
flour.
"In other words, our postwar wheat grain ex.
ports are 800 per cent above the pre-war and
postwar exports of flour 81 per cent above the
Iprewar average
From these official figures given out by the
department of commerce it would seem that from
the cold-blooded standpoint of having n better
market for our wheat, it might be better to let
Europe remain in its present condition of sin.
sanity" indefinitely.
There is nothing more deceptive than the ar.
gument that our farm exports will increase as
Europe's condition improves, for every intelli.
gent person knows to the contrary. AS fast as
Europe returns to sanity and TO normal produc.
ton she will reduce her buying of food products
from this country.
Wheat is not the only farm product which is
being exported in far greater quantities now
than in pre-war days, as the following table of
exports OF farm products for the years 1914 and
1923 will show:
Product 1914 1923
Corn .,......... 1896 900 Blu 94,064, 900 bu
Rye ............ 7,s47,0O0 Blu 51,411, 900 blu
Condensed Milk 22,s31, 900 lbs 1853, 956, 900 lbs
Bacon ..-.......1 Sl, 267, 900 lbs 40S, 2S2, 900 lbs
Hams, Shoulders 1l2, 39s, 900 lbs 319,1sd ono lbs
Fresh Pork 80. 1,250,0OO lbs 43,5Of, 900 lbs
Lard .........s. 1880 900 lbs 952,641 900 lbs
The total value OF our exports of meat and
dairy products in 1914 vas $141,474,000. The to.
tai value OF our exports of these products in 1923
was $310,S3s,0O0, or more than twice the value
of the 1914 exports.
The total value of exports of grain, flour and
other breadstuffs in 1914 was, s310,2s0,000. The
total value of the exports of such products in
lo23 was $i5l,3i2,OOO or 30 per cent more than
in 1914.
The statement that Great Britain cannot buy
supplies because "slack trade" makes her unable
to pay for things she would like to use, gets n
black eye from the records of our foreign trade
bureau. Great Britain in 1914, when she was in
n normal condition and prosperous, bought sup.
plies from us in the sum of $59i.271 900. In 1923
she bought supplies. from us in the sum of $S23,
29s,OOO or 40 per cent more than she bought in
1911 under normal conditions when her trade
was not slack.