The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1924-04-29


ment organizations ands mixed COM
panies controlled by the Soviet gov
eminent, accounted for 96.7 per cent
of all exports and for 1913 per cent
of all imports; the rest represented
the part played by purely private initi
alive in the foreign trade of Soviet
Russia.
Trade With United States In 1923.
The tracing of imports from the
United States, except as to cotton,
presents many difficulties, because
most of the purchases, even when con-
Guided directly in the United States
by official and semi-official agencies
of the Soviet government in New
York, were financed in England or
Germany
In the total summaries imports
from the United States are valued at
1S,696,O0O gold rubles at 1913 prices,
of which 16,447,000 was accounted for
by raw cotton, representing quantity
of $4,000 bales. Deducting the value
of cotton from the total value of inn
ports from the United States would
leave a balance of 2,249,00O rubles,
or little over $1.OOO,OOO for all the
rest of the imports, according to Rus
sian customs statistics, which is ad-
mitted to be considerably understated.
Russias imports from the United
States in 1923, according to customs
figures computed at 1913 prices, rep
resent 1873 per cent of total imports,
and the exports to the United States
GA per cent of total exports, while the
entire trade with the United States
amounted to Sc per cent of trade with
all countries, as against $50 per cent
in 1913.
Wartime Trade With United States.
In 1913 Russian imports from the
United States amounted to 79,000,0OO
rubles, or 5.S per cent Of total Rus
sian imports; exports to the United
States reached only 100000 rubles,
or 90 per cent of Russian trade with
all countries. During the war. COM
mencing with the second year, Rus
sian-American trade was considerably
stimulated, but after the war it lapsed
almost completely, until 1921, when
imports from the United States were
valued at 39,794,000 gold rubles. In
1922 imports from the United States
amounted to 3S,937,00 gold rubles
and in 1928 to 1S,696,O00.
Since the war the character OF Rus
sian imports from the United States
had changed radically, partly on ac-
count Of changed economic conditions
and partly because Of crop failure and
famine. In 1918 the bulk of imports
was raw materials and finished goods.
in 1921 it was manufactured articles
and in 1922 it was foodstuffs.
In 1923 foodstuff imports amounted
to only 10000 gold rubles, and manu-
featured articles to. ,S26 900; but raw
materials and semi-fnished goods rose
from 10000 gold rubles in 1922 to
16,6s40OO gold rubles in 1923.
1t has been reported to the Com
merce Department, Eastern European
Division, that shipments of machinery
and technical equipment alone by one
of the semi-official Soviet agencies in
New York amounted to 81 $4,000; of
metals, 100000; of chemicals and
dyes, 100000. It's sales of Russian
merchandise imported into the Unit
ed States in 1928 consisted chiefly Of
furs, amounting to S550,000.
Another agency imported $4,OS2,OOO
worth Of Russian furs, besides S573,-
500 worth of bristles, horsehair, and
other hair products. and 71,45O worth
Of caviar and fish products, out Of its
total imports from Russia during the
year OF S4.S27,320. This firms ship
ments to Russia included textiles to
the value of $365.6O0, out of S393,65O
for the year.
At least one purchase OF 10000 tons
Of Russian mineral oil by an American
company was reported as shipped
from London. Over 500 light Ameri-
can tractors. together with .agricultur-
al equipment in connection with same
(plows, disc harrows, etc.,. were ship
ped by another firm to the value OF
about 100000, while about S250,00O
worth Of Russian furs were imported
by It during the year.
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From Auto Trades Council.