Evening star., 1933-10-08
JAPANESE WREST
LEAD FROM BRITISH
IN TEXTILE TRADE
70-Year-0Id Industry Ends
Dominance of More
Than Century.
BY JOHN A. CRONE.
Special Dispatch to The Star.

NEW YORK, October THE an
nouncement of the Japanese Federation
Of Cotton Textile Manufacturers that
Japan exported more cotton cloths than
Great Britain in the first eight months
of this year surprised many quarters of
the cotton trade here today.
The statement, made in Toxic, that
the 70-year-old Nipponese industry bad
wrested world supremacy in cotton tex
tiles from Britain, dominant for more
than a century brought forth the COM
ment here that Japan has the most
modern textile machinery In the world.
A larger percentage Of its machinery is
UP to date than that of any other
producer of cotton cloth or goods.
Strenuous sales efforts being made in
world textile markets by the japanese
have not more than scratched American
domestic outlets though they have cut
deeply into our exports to Cuba. Cen
trail and South America. Within the
last six months approximately $1,0O0,-
900 Of japanese cotton goods has been
imported into the United States. but
the importers have been too fearful OF
Government action-such as the I'M
mediate raising of tariffs-under the
N. R. A. to do more than experiment
with merchandise obtained from Japan.
Seek Federal Action.
Cotton goods exporters here are still
hopeful that the Government will get
around to their problems. Pointing out
that nearly SO per cent of our cotton
production is required within our own
borders, with the remainder going over
seas. the exporters were not inclined
to criticize the administration for tax
ing care of the major interests. They
are anxious, however, lest their world
markets be lost permanently to other
sources.
Within the last few months Cuba
has purchased about 100000 worth
of japanese cotton goods. Since the
terms were virtually cash, cotton ex-
porters are curious about the methods
Cuban importers took to raise the
money. Similar purchases were made
on virtuallS the same basis by Haltl'
Santo Domingo and Colombia. Argen-
tina. however, could not do business
with Japan because it could not trans
fer the needed foreign exchange.
In British cotton circles here 1t Is
alleged that the japanese textile SELL
ing methods are much the same as
those employed by the pre-war German
cartels. These same quarters insist that
most of the japanese cotton goods were
exported at a loss which was made up
by the Toxic government.
Capacity Held Smaller.
Conceding the correctness Of the
japanese export figures of 1892, ,000,0 900
square yards of cotton cloths exported
in the first eight months of this year
which contrast with Great Britain's
1886, ,OOO, ,00O-the British cotton ex-
perts here declare that Japan's pro-
ductive capacity is smaller than that
of Britain and that the output was at
tanned only by operating machinery
day and night.
Cotton has aroused considerable COM
mercial animosity between the British
and the japanese. The former sue
ceeded in shutting Japan out Of India,
one of its most important yarn outlets,
with high tariff in September, 1927.
Thereupon Japan increased its sales
activities in other British markets, in
cluding South American countries.
Japanese cotton Spinners, in retalia-
ton for a series of British moves, boy
cotted Indian raw cotton following the
abrogation of the Indo-Japanese COM
mercial treaty without giving Japan an
opportunity to suggest some future
trade basis Meanwhile the Empire con-
ference had drawn India closer to the
British cotton trades.
The situation was aggravated by
(Noptip,,od ~, Cocopd pouol