Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-09-30
BY CLINTON COFFIN,
Associated Press Financial Writer.

After computing the Inquiries VI IICo1-
national trade for all the world during
1928, which means the separate &C
counts of 1O2 countries, the Commerce
Department concludes that the exports
Of the United States Tor the period
made up 1876 per cent of the entire to-
tai, while its imports were but Ill per
cent. The chief significance of the fig
ures lies in their presentation OF one
Of the main factors In the current pros
perity of the Nation-the ability to
keep commodity exports strongly ahead
Of commodity imports.
This performance shows up the more
strongly in detailed analysis of the find
ings. since the total of world exports
goods shipped abroad from all countries
is now steadily mounting higher. dur
inc a prolonged period of stable and de-
clining prices. For 1928 the Government
figures that the exports of all nations
in the world amounted to 1872 1894 ,0O0,-
600, which compares with $31 1886, 000.-
600 of world exports for 1927. $50, 49,
100000 for 1925 and $28,540 100000 for
1924. In spite Of this steady growth, the
United States is shown to have main
tanned its steady proportion OF the TO-
tai. between Is and Is per cent, for
nearly a decade.
At the same time this country's pro-
portion of the total Of the worlds i'm
ports of commodities is shown to have
been steadily declining for three years.
In 1928 the United States imported as
much as 14.3 per cent Of all commodi-
ties entering into world trade. Its i'm
ports dropped back to 1872 per cent In
the next year, but after an advance to
1875 per cent in 1926 have fallen back
for which the latest figures are COM
piled.
It Is now pretty well understood that
these commodity accounts of interna-
tional balances of trade are merely part
of the picture and that the flows and
counter flows of such things as invest
mentS and speculations, tourist expendi-
lures and ocean freights, insurance and
Indebtedness payments, all classed as
invisible trade" must be studied be-
fore national economic positions are de-
ity trade figures alone illustrate the I'M
doubted fact that the world steadily
either goes into debt with the United
States on the goods accounts or has to
find payments for goods by services on
other planes each year.
Somewhat incident to such consider
ations Is another Government study,
which shows how the literally tremen-
States tend to be tapped ever and again
In some new way to upset old economic
balances. 1t deals with the single raw
material borax, the most important
single use of which is for glazing pot
terry, but which enters into every form
Of glass making, as boracic acid gets
into drugs and in refined forms is q
soap and cleansing ingredient. Since
1925, the carload price OF borax has
declined 40 per cent. simply because one
| relatively small area in the United
States, that which includes Searles
Lake, Calf, has become a source OF the
material on such a scale and at such
q cost that other world sources have
great difficulty in meeting the COMPETE
ton.
"At the end of 1928 the borax mines
OF Chile were closed" the Government
study says, and the supplies from all
other countries were greatly reduced"
The actual tonnage Of borax pro-
duced in this country for 1927 was 67, :
900, and 1t was probably higher in 1928.
This last year 81 900 tons of it were
exported from the United States, chiefly
to Europe. This is rather typical
instance of the sudden fashion IN which
American raw products, like productions
Of American mass manufacturing, sud-
denly come to the complete displace-
ment Of Older alien industries.
Last week the Indian Motor Cycle
Co., one of the pioneer manufacturers
of two-wheeled motor vehicles In the
United States, passed its dividend, ano
its managing officials announced tnal
| a part of its manufacturing tacii1tles
were to be diverted to entirely dlneren'
fields. It seems pretty clear that Amer
leans will mot bother with the solo type
of gasoline carrier so long as automo-
/ biles are good and cheap.
Yet it seems to be fact that In GER
| tain European countries, notably Ger
| many, the automobile, If not giving way
| to the motor cycle, is falling TO KEEP
pace with the latter's advance.
"In Southwestern Germany the pro,
portion of motor cycles, as compared
with automobiles, seen on streets ano
highways seems to mount almost IRON
week to week" vice Consul Hugh +
Ramsey reports from Stuttgart TO nls
superiors in Washington. This popu.
larity Is thought to be attributable mrs.
to the difference In price between tns
two classes Of motor vehicles ana tnsI
| to the lesser cost in operation OF tne
two-wheel and three-wheel vehicles:
To run an auto, the consular ofncel
adds. a German must take a course o.
| traffic instruction and pass an exarnl.
nation and must pay a $50 fee. Tnel
| he stands a tax on the horsepower o.
his car. To run motor cycle he taxes
a similar course, but pays much lower
| fee. and his taxes thereafter are ever
smaller. These factors probably coun
most In pushing the cycle ahead OF TN
auto in Germany and several other Eu'
ropean countries