Evening star., 1935-03-24
BY ALBIN E. JOHNSON.

OF cOmmOQlCleS prOQuCeQ ana tnSlr
gold values In fact, world trade dur
ing 1884 was orRy 39 per cent less
lin gold value) than that of 1888,
although it amounted to only one
third of what it was in l929-the
year the depression began.
In quantity, world trade remained
practically unchanged, as compared
with the previous year, averaging be-
tween IA per cent and rs per cent of
what it was before the crisis. The
amount of goods exchanged between
nations was, in 1882, about "a per
cent of what it had been in 1929
During 1888 there was a slight i'm
provement, which was maintained IN
1894.
But-while conditions as a whole,
based upon worldwide commerce. ap-
pear to be improving, there is a strik-
ing fluctuation in the trade move
mentS in different countries. Where
one group of countries registers gains
another group will register losses,
indicating that the upward trend Is
by no means universal.
The gold bloc countries-France
Italy, Belgium. Holland and Switzer-
land-are still on the toboggan.
While bankruptcies decreased during
1884 in a majority of countries. they
increased considerably in France,
Switzerland and Holland.
Russian Gains Lead.
Russia, which for the first time is
furnishing the economic and financial
oF l,o al
figures, appears to be the most -four
ishing country in the world. Ger
many and Japan also show remark
able improvement in trade and pro-
duction.
While the gold value of trade of
various countries cannot be taken as
an absolute index of their economic
condition, because of the drop in
prices in terms of gold which con-
tinued during 1884, statistics form
an interesting basis for comparisons
For example, world trade, in gold
values, was 1872 per cent less in 1880
than it was in 1929; in 1881 it was
28.6 per cent less than it was in
1880; in 1882 it was 1872 per cent less
than in 1881; in 1888 it was 10 per
tCAlO lCoS OAAdIl III 4OO@Y anu 1OOf ~
was only 3.9 per cent less than in
1888.
When measured in the terms of
national currencies, trade increased
in practically every country with de-
preciated currency. The increase in
the value of exports was particularly
marked.
Production of basic commodities
pig iron, steel, zinc, coal, Ignite and
petroleum-showed gains, exceeding
in every instance the 1881 level. Pc
troleum, for example. was in excess
of 1929 production. World production
of steel in 1884 was 612 per cent
higher than in 1882 and 20.7 per cent
higher than in 1888. While the world
pig iron production in 1884 was still
only about 63.5 per cent of what it
was in 1929 it was 27.5 per cent higher
than that of 1888 and 58.4 per cent
higher than the production in 1882.
Reich Gains in Pig Iron.
Germany showed the greatest ad-
vance In pig iron production. Her
1884 output was Sc per cent higher
than that of 1888; Russia showed
gain of IS per cent; Great Britain OF
IS per cent; Japan of 81 per cent;
the United States of 20.5 per cent.
Pig iron production in France de-
creased 8 per cent in 1884 as COM
pared with 1888
Zinc, an important commodity,
showed strikingly the up-pick in in
dustry. The increase in world pro-
duction of this metal during 1884 was
20 per cent over 1888 and 81 per cent
over 1892 production. Canada's gain
was largest, being Al per cent higher
than in 1888; Germany showed 43
per cent gain; Belgium. 81 per cent;
Mexico 26 per cent, and Poland, %
per cent, over the previous year. The
United States. which is the worlds
greatest zinc producing country, re-
ports gain of 13 per cent over 1888.
France, on the other hand, shows de-
cline of per cent in 1884.
Russia shows the greatest advance
in coal production, having increased
her output in 1884 by 27.4 per cent;
Germany's coal production increased
1877 per cent, and Japan's, 10.1 per
cent. South Africa, Belgium, Canada.
India and Great Britain also show
slight increase in coal output, while
Frances production was 81 900 metric
tons more than the previous year.
Production dropped in Holland and
Poland.
Unemployment Checked.
The trend of employment and un-
employment during 1884 also indi-
Gates that, except for the gold bloc
countries, conditions are markedly
better. France, Holland, Belgium,
Switzerland and, to a certain extent,
Italy, reveal deepening unemploy-
ment problem. Conditions also are bad
in Spain, Norway and Czechoslovakia,
and Yugoslavia, despite the fact it is
an agricultural country, is in bad
way. AS a result of the uncertainty
due to the transfer of the region from
the Leagues administration to Ger,
many, unemployment is mounting in
the Saar. Poland also is still suffering
severely.
The situation in Germany. Great
Britain, Sweden, Finland. Hungary.
Austria, Australia, Japan and the
South American countries, is i'm
proving steadily. In many cases en-
ployment has risen much faster than
Unemployment has decreased, indicat-
ing that many of the so-called middle
class" which were living on savings,
have exhausted their resources.
While the figures for January of
1885 show that unemployment grew
considerably in most European coun-
tries as compared with December
figures, nevertheless the number OF
men out of work was less than in
January of 1894. Ireland and France
are two notable exceptions. French
officially unemployed, in receipt OF
government relief, have passed the
100000 mark, while trade union eSti-
mates place the actual number of idle
at well above a million The Irish
Free State reports 138,799 registered
unemployed in January as against
94,266 a year ago. Unemployment |
has increased steadily in Ireland SINCE |
June of last year.