Evening star., 1924-02-22
HUGE GAINS mus.
TRADE W|THTR0P|CS
Increase of 130 Per Cent
Since 1913-Both Exports
and Imports Increase.
Special Dispatch to The Star.

speclaI Dispatch TO Inc star.
NEW YORK, February 22.-Trade
of tho United States with the tropical
world has shown n remarkable
growth since the beginning of the
war. Whether or not it is because
of the disa sarrangement Of trade
methods resulting from the war. the
opening of new steamship routes by
the Panama canal, the increased ac-
tivities Of the automobile for land
transportation in the tropics. or even
the increasing use of tropical prod
ucts which followed prohibition, it
is at least fact, says the Trade
Record of the National City Bank
that our trade with the tropics has
increased appro ximateIy $50 per cent
in value since 1919, while that with
the non-tropical world increased but
about 10 per cent in the same period.
With the dangers to Sea-borne COM
merce which existed during the war
European countries gradually re-
duced their tropical imports for re-
expectation purposes, and as a result
direct purchases from the tropical
countries and at the same time in
creased her direct sales to them.
Trade Reaches High Figures
Considering as tropical or - least
Subtropical the American areas
lying between northern Mexico and
southern Brazil, the continent of
Africa, except the South African
Union, and the countries and islands
lying between northern India, the
Philippine Islands. and central Aus
tralia, the number Of political divi-
sfons with which we interchange
chandise-countries colonies and
NJ tr.a wit In
them has grown from approximately
$1,000. .000,0 900 in 1913 to about s2,447,-
100000 in 1928. The total value Of
merchandise brought direct from the
tropical world GEcludinS our own tropi-
cal isands) advanced from approSi-
mately S640,000,000 i'll 1919 to about
sl,G20,000,000 in 1925. while the ex-
ports to these areas Increased from
about $500, ,000, 600 in 1913 to approXi-
mately $500, 100000 in 1923.
Rubber Imports Increase.
While a part OF this apparent in
crease. says the Trade Record. is
probably due to the fact that certain
tropical products prior to the war
reached US from the European coun-
tries and were accredited to them in
our trade statistics. it is quite ap-
parent that our trade with the tropics
has enormously increased. Practi-
cally all the tropical countries have
Increased the percentage which Amer
lean products form of their imports.
Our own official statistics SHOW that
our imports from Cuba advanced
from Sl25.000, 900 in 1913 to S316. 900,
900 in 1929. and the exports thereto
from $15.000.000 in 1913 to $4,000, ,00o
in 1923. Our imports from India ad-
vanced from $4,000, 900 in 1913 to sJ5.-
900. 900 in 1923: and from Egypt an
increase from 1900. .000 to S39.000.-
600 Our imports from South America
increased from s19S,2J9. 900 in 1919 TO
s46G.S11.000 in 1929. and our exports
To that continent from S146,J1 900 To
S"69.31S.000
from the tropics occur in rubber.
fibers. sugar, coffee cacao and fruits.
and the gains in exports to that area
consist chiefly OF manufactures.
Aids World Development.
tropical world. and especially in the
market which it offers for our manu-
features is especially of interest. adds
the Trade Record, in view Of the
great possibilities of increasing the
producing and consequent buying
power of that part of the world. The
tropical and Subtropical belt. extend
ing the world around between the
goth parallels OF north and south
habitabln land area OF the world
much Of it with far greater produc-
ing power per acre than that of the
temperata zones. and with the in
creaSing expectation OF its natural
products which would follow inl-
proved transportation facilities by
railways and automobiles would
come an increased demand for the
products Of the American factories.