Evening star., 1932-07-10
Problems Affecting Financial
Life of Empire Will Be
Discussed.
CONFERENCE is CALLED
AT CANADIAN CAPITAL
All Dominions Will Be Represent.
ed at Farley, Which Begins
on July Is.
BY DR.. MAX WINKLER
Special Dispatch to The Star,

Empire will convene on July 18 at
Ottawa to discuss the many and COM
plex economic and financial problems
with which the empire Is confronted.
The significance OF the conference
is apparent, If one considers that one
fifth the total number of inhabitants
of the entire globe dwells within the
confined OF this vast commonwealth,
which embraces one-quarter the total
land area Of the world.
The aggregate foreign commerce OF
the nations which make up the empire
is about one e-third the worlds total
trade, as compared with only 1872 per
cent for the United States, the area OF
which is about 6ls per cent that OF
the world and whose population is
somewhat less than per cent Of the
total In other words, the English
speaking world embraces almost one
third of the worlds total area, housing
90 per cent of the total population,
estimated at 1000 0o0, 900 and doing an
annual business Of substantially more
than one-haf that carried on by the
entire world.
Agricultural Production.
In point Of agricultural output, the
British Empire occupies very promi-
nent place 1t produces well over one
quarter of all the wheat produced
throughout the world, comparing with
less than one-fifth for the United
States. It's output of cotton is well
over one-fifth, against substantially in
excess Of one-half for the United
States It raises more than one
quarter the worlds total tobacco, as
compared with more than ~ per cent
for the United States. The output Of
corn and rye In relation TO the worlds
total is purely nominal, amounting,
respectively. to 81 and 8 per cent Of
the total. The corresponding percent
ages for the United States are 6l.8 and
AZ per cent.
In regard to potatoes. the two Nations
raise practically the same amount, ag-
gregating about 10 per cent of the
world total output. Well over half
the total output of rice is raised by
the British Empire, compared with only
a nominal amount produced in the
United States.
While the United States produces
more than 40 per cent of the world
total beet sugar output and more than
one-fifth of the total cane sugar, the
British Empire produces less than l
per cent of the total beet sugar, but
practically the same amount Of cane
sugar as that produced in the United
States. These figures do not, however,
convey a very clear picture because
America, by virtue of her control over
the Cuban sugar industry, plays a
much more important part in the
sugar industry than statistics would
seem to indicate
Thanks to Australia and New Zea-
land. the British Empire produces more
than three and one-half times as much
wool as the United States, its output
amounting to 35l2 per cent of the
world total, compared with less than
10 per cent for the United States.
Almost one-fifth Of the total output
of coal is produced by the British En-
pire, one-ninth Of pig iron, and some
what more than Az per cent of the
world total output of copper. 1t pro-
duces nearly one-fourth of all the lead,
and one-eighth OF all the zinc Al
though the output Of petroleum Is pure
" nominal, amounting to only about
IL per cent of the world total out
nut against more than two-thirds for
the United States, British interests
hold a very prominent position in the
oil industry through control over some
of the worlds largest petroleum fields.
Gold Output.
Nearly 70 per cent of all the gold
which is produced each year comes
from places within the British EN-
pire. which apparently did not prevent
Great Britain. the mother country,
from renouncing the gold standard,
still adhered to by nations whose out
put of the yellow metal is very much
smaller. Almost one-seventh of the
world total output of silver comes
from the British Empire, compared
with more than one-fourth produced In
the United States.
Salient economic statistics pertaining
to the British Empire are presented
hereunder in per cent Of the world
total. Corresponding figures for the
United States are also given.