Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-09-09
China Trade Magnet for U. S.

l910-l9l4, but the average for 1921-l92s
was Al per cent. Clearly. therefore. the
China trade has taken on a new ano
relatively far more significant aspect
Even with liberal allowances for price
changes. these figures represent one OF
the record increases in our commerce
with any land during that or any com
parable period.
This would seem to be en- effective
answer to the false assumption that the
conflict in China has DESTROYED com.
merce. Naturally there have beer
countless obstacles to trade as a result
OF the disturbances but, as in the case
OF Mexico and other economically new
LANDS, the very backwardness of China's
commercial and transportation organ.
ization has been an advantage in this
respect. troubled zones have been effec-
tiVeIy insulated" and trade elsewhere
mas gone on very much as before.
New Demands Awakened.
The causes of this extraordinary
commercial revolution, for such. in
deed, 1t has BEEN are various, but chief
among them has certainly been the
awakening of new demands, of new
commercial vitality and aspirations for
better living standards among China's
millions. Their war-born nationa,ism,
stimulated by their economic isolation
curing l914-18, has been reflected In
these truly impressive transformations.
Then, too, on the import side there has
been Of course the vigorous impulse
given by the tremendous increase in
the needs Of our new and extending
industries for additional raw materials
and the demands of our increasingly
prosperous people for more exotic
products and Oriental specialties-silks,
faces, furs, perfumery ingredients and
other luxury and Semi-luXury items in
which China has long specialized.
But this truly amazing advance
should not blind the far-sighted OBJ
server to the glazing defects in China's
general economic organization. Trans
portation facilities are, of course primi-
tive to degree. She has less than
8OOO miles OF railway as compared with
our 265,000, and those are far from
satisfactory as to equipment and MAIN
tenance as the result of the rigors OF
wartime abuse. There are about 40
radio stations in the country, some
81 900 miles of telegraph wire and about
100000 telephones, as compared with
l,850.00O miles of telegraph lines in
this country and Is 900 600 telephones
She has but 10000 automobiles as
compared with our 10000 900. and her
highways are, with a few executions
but primitive trails, save for a narrow
network of metal roads near the treaty
ports.
War Indirectly Helpful.
In this connection, however. the war
has indirectly been decidedly helpful
The acquisition of enormous Quantities
OF motor vehicles for military purposes
has brought home the imperative neces-
Sity OF better highways and the good
| roads movement Is already well under
, way. China is favored with an extern
, sive river system and many connecting
/ links of canals. In fact, 1t Is likely
! that the development of this valuable
system of waterways will be in i'm
portant feature of the first stages OF
; rehabilitation. China per capita COM
, merce of iron and steel is about one
: one HUNDREDS and-eightieth of that OF
! the United States. For cement her fig
; ure is three pounds per capita as com
| pared with IS for Japan and $50 fol
! the United States.
! Much has been said in recent years
OF her supposedly boundless mineral
! resources but these statements after
: careful scrutiny proved to be consider
| ably exaggerated. Her coal and iron
, deposits, however, are far superior tC
! those of any other Far Eastern country
Her chief importance as a mineral
| producer. so far rs her trade with the
| rest Of the world is concerned, Is ir
| the field of those rare substances. anti
! mony and tugstein. so valuable In the
! manufacture of bearing metals. type
and high-grade steel. She supple,
| about 1871 and 50o,, respectively, of tn:
worlds stock Of these two alloys.
!! Formerly China was an important
source of copper. but production is
now negligible. as is also the case witt
! silver sulphur. phOsphates and sew.
eral other lesser minerals. No import
ant deposits OF petroleum have beer
discovered within her borders. Salt i
one of China's most important products
and the tax thereon is valuable source
of revenue. Large quantities OF 1t art
exported.
In other lines her resources are sub
stantial. She Is the worlds third pro.
Queer in cotton, her output averaging
about 2, SOC, 900 bales. or about fifth a:
much as the United States. She alst
produces about 100000 900 bushels o.
wheat and about billion of rice. ON
of her most interesting vegetable prod
ucts is the soy bean, which Is valuable
as a source Of vegetable oil, as
fertilizer and for cattle feed.
Her resources Of silk and tea are. o
!, course. we'll known and scarcely require