Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1923-09-06
American RICE, Wheat, Lun-
Der and Steel in Large
Quantities Needed by DeV-
astated Nation
BY j. c. ROYLE
Ueased Wire Service to The Journal)
ICnnNri nl 1Hon

=: Copyright, 1929
NEW YORK, Sept. 4.-Whatever
the temporary effects Of the great
Japanese disaster may be n Ameri-
can business, there is every evidence
that eventually it will provide
broader range and greater field
for 4 lerican products and pro-
ducers than they have ever before
enjoyed in the Orient. Until the full
extent of the earthquake and fire is
known the immediate eff S cannot
be entirely determined but already
the situation mas ca .sed a scurrying
for bottoms to carry American goods
and commodities to the stricken
empire.
The first effect. of necessity, will
involve articles for the immediate
relief of distress. Rice, the s lie
, food of Japan's millions, is even now
in demand and the crop OF the south
ern rice producing states now being
harvested and shipped from the
plantations is in a condition where
growers and mills can take imme-
deman2.
The crop in Louisiana, Arkansas
and other producing states is expect
ed to be some 500 900 bushels under
! that of last " r. Growers who had
prepared to drag out the marketing
of this crop for months in order not
to flood the markets, probably will
have it taken off their hands imme-
diately at excellent prices. The
stocks in the growing districts of
the Sacramento valley in { .lifornia
are known TO be small and growers
there will have the advantage of
being close to Pacific ocean ter
m:nals.
The Pacific northwest is now har'
vesting the greatest wheat crop in
years and flour mills today prepared
to speed up production to meet
emergency demands from across t
Pacific. A certain amount of i'm
mediate business car be absolutely
counted on for the relief funds al
ready piing up will by and pay
for a large quantity of flour which
can get shipped from Portland, eat
tie and Vancouver without delay,
Lowers Cotton Demand
This emergency call should find
its reflection in betterment to wheat
! growers in other sections.
There is every probability that
the textile industries of Japan will
be paralyzed for a time, and it is
through these lines of business that
the effect of the disaster will be
most quickly felt in this country.
Japan for a time has been eliminat-
ed as a purchaser of American cot.
ton, but this fact is not expected by
cotton men in the south to have any
/ long extended bearing on the cotton
market In fact, it may tend to
avert a world shortage. The figures
made public Friday by the depart
ment of agriculture indicated that
! the American crop would not be up
| to world requirements as they eX
! listed last week.
On the other hand, Japan Is
! large consumer of cotton goods, and
with her own mills idle, emergency
, demand should furnish a temporary
! market for American made goods
! Japan also has been a heavy buyer
| of wool in the Australian and South
! American markets and has been de-
veloping her wooden textile industry
to a market degree. That buying
also has been reduced as a factor
! and may have a later bearing on the
| price of wool and wooden goods in
! this country.
! American manufacturers are de-
| pendent to a large extent on Japan
csc silk in the production of their
goods, and with the confusion into
/, In
thrown. it is likely that the raw
material will be strongly affected
here. This will find its first reflec-
ton in the slowing down of produc-
ton until manufacturers here can
estimate more accurately the
amount of silk they can depend on
and the price it will cost them.
Lumber mills in the Pacific north
west began today to add to their
working forces and Ato run their
saws at an increased pace to meet
the certain demand for material
with which to rebuild. Stocks on
the Pacific coast are very small and
normal demand, has been higher
than output. so that heavy ship
ments abroad will probably give a
decided squirt TO production and
shipments in other sections, espe.
cially in the south.
Ability to Recover
Little anxiety is felt among lum.
Der men as to the ability OF the
japanese to finance their rebuilding
program. Efforts in that direction
naturally await more settled condi-
tons but the Pacific coast lumber
men have been through one similar
| crisis in the San Francisco fire. are
prepared to profit by their expert
ences then.
A similar feeling exists among the
| steel men. Orders from Japan have
| been heavy, both for structural steel