The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1924-06-04
N { " ENGLAND
|. LOSING GREAT
INDUSTRIES
Rebirth Of Foreign Commerce
With Boston as Great Port
to Come, Belief
Bx InternatlonaI News service.

BOSTON. June 4.--Three hundred
and four years after the landing OF
the Pilgrims, New England must
look seward again was the declarh-
ton at the opening of the eleventh
National Foreign Trade Convention,
by Howard Coonley, president OF
the Boston Chamber of Commerce.
Referring to New Englaud's loss
of trade due to industrial growth
and competition in the South and
Middle West, he said New England's
opportunity now lay above all in
foreign trade. the basis Of her orig
inal prosperity.
A scientific survey, he said, had
been undertaken to carry out this
program.
He said that New Englanders
must recognize that the pig iron
industry is now practically. extinct
in New England, that the trade
center of the United States has
been moving steadily westward in
the last hundred years.
Trade is growing swiftly in the
Middle Western, Southwestern and
intermountain territory more swift
ly than 1t Is in New England" he
pointed out.
Industries Move Away.
During the last few years we
have seen some of our large shoe
factories, our cotton and wooden
mills, our rubber goods factories,
any many other industries which
we have always looked upon as
typically New England activities,
moving away to other parts of the
country, where raw material can
be obtained at less cost: where
transportation is less difficult AMI
less hampered by laws and climatic
conditions, and where the trade
centers are nearer and, consequently,
to be reached with less effort than
from New England.
New England's supremacy Is
even being challenged in the shoe
trade by great city in the Middle
West. Cotton and wooden mills
find that they can obtain cheaper
labor, cheaper transportation, less
costly overhead burdens, and d more
readily available market In the
South.
The jewelry manufacturers. long
identified with New England, have
their eyes turned toward New York,
and some OF them already nave de.
serted US. 1t is to be expected that,
as a natural consequence of the
cotton and other textile mills going
to the South, manufacturers Of tex
tile machinery will follow in due
time.
But we are not asleep.
Foreign trade, 1t seems 10 me,
offers us one of the greatest single
channels through which New Eng
land may regain her old. time lead.
ership.
THE seaboard is easily accessi
BILE. We have many great natural
harbors, abundant water power, un
excelled transportation facilities.
During the last year we have
been engaged in a survey of New
England's industries to determine
first. the actual Conditions Of to
day; and. second, to determine what
should be done.
ITO Attract Foreign Buyers"
Here are some facts which
show up our natural advantages in
foreign trade. More than 20 per
cent of our population lives and
carries on its industrial activities
within a distance of fifty miles
| from the Seaboard.
Boston holds second place in
the United States in volume and
value of imported raw materials
and finished materials used by our
industrial plants.
New England, through intensive
cooperation of our manufacturers
has much to attract foreign buyers
We manufacture the finest tools
in the world, textiles, saddlery
| furniture, machinery.
"Inasmuch as we buy large
stocks of materials overseas, and
inasmuch as our manufactured
products go overseas, there is nc
reason why Boston may not be re
established, as in the old days, al
a purchasing center. Boston IL
still the greatest wool market ir
the United States. Practically al
of the cotton imported from foreign
countries is brought to this port.
What our forefatheys once die
we can do again by looking over
seas"