Evening star., 1940-01-21
U. 5. Reports 5 Pei.
Gain in Exports 10
Trade Pact Nations
Commerce Department
Says SoIes to Other
Countries Declined
By BLAIR BOLLES.

BY BLAIR BOLLES.
The Commerce Department last
night presented statistics in support
Of the trade agreements program,
disclosing that during the first II
months Of 1899 American shipments
to the 1S nations with which we
have trade agreements advanced
5 per cent over the first II months
Of 1898, while exports to non-agree-
ment countries declined by 8 per
cent.
At the same time, the Agriculture
Department issued a study of for
eign commerce in farm goods, which
attributed the hardship in finding
large markets abroad for farm COM
modities. in part. to the rising sys-
TEN of import controls among the
nations overseas. The hackers OF
the trade agreements ofier their
program as the best available mode
Of attack on these sorts Of controls.
Since last September" r. B.
Schwenger Of the Office OF Foreign
Agricultural Relations writes, dis
cussing the relation of the European
war to farm exports, every for
eign country which imports con-
siderable quantities Of American
farm products has made its markets
subject to complete governmental
control, so that the volume Of Amer
ican farm products absorbed can be
expanded or decreased, almost from
one day to another, according to
the changing dictates of policy"
Hearings Continue Tomorrow.
One persuasive agricultural group,
the American National Livestock
Association. made representations
yesterday to the House Ways and
Means Committee in favor of letting
the administrations trade agree
ment authority expire, or at least OF
providing for Senate ratification Of
each agreement. The witness was
F. E. Mollin, secretary Of the asso-
ciation, which feels that American
livestock raisers have been injured
by tariffs lowered In the trade
agreements.
The hearings on the question Of
continuing the administrations au-
thority beyond June IL will 60 on
before the committee tomorrow.
Eight days of testimony have been
consumed. B. c. Budd, chairman
OF the Export Committee OF the
Automobile Manufacturers Associa-
ton, yesterday indorsed the pro-
gram at the Ways and Means hear
ing.
Between the years of 1929 and
1882" Mr.. Budd said. I'VE saw our
automotive exports shrink from a
total of nearly 100000 cars and
trucks to 10000. We welcomed the
passage of this act Grade Agree
ments Act) in 1894 to reverse the
downward trend, and the recovery
that has been made in subsequent
years has sustained our belief in its
effectiveness"
The Commerce Department termed
impressive" its findings about trade
with agreement and non-agreement
countries. 1t reported that our i'm
ports from agreement countries in
creased IT'S per cent In January
November, 1899, over the same
period in 1898, while the import in
tries was 13 per cent. In amount
our exports in the first II months
of 1899 was $1,695, ,000. 900 to agree
ment countries and $1,114 ,000, 900 to
the non agreement countries.
Argument Answered.
The department directed its atten-
ton to the argument of the trade
agreement opponents that the tar
iff-lowering policy of the agree
ments makers opens the United
States to foreign commodities COM
peting with our own. Its study re-
marks:
"Of important commodities on
which certain types of duties were
reduced through trade agreements,
imports Of cattle Except for breed
ing), cotton and wool semi -manufac-
lures, sawed lumber and shingles
show increases. However, the ag-
gregate increase in imports of those
products combined was only $780,
322,000 as compared to the $2,071,-
100000 total value of United States
imports for the first II month
Of 1889"
The Commerce Department mini
mized the gains which might come
to American exports through the
war 1t pointed out that as a result
of United Kingdom restrictions on
American tobacco imports, a war
measure, and the United Kingdom
shift from taste for higher grade
to lower-priced tobaccos, our ship
ments of this commodity fell from
$139,418,000 In January November,
1888, to $72, ,429, 900 in 1899.
The domestic business improve
ment of 1899 contributed to a rise
in our imports of industrial raw
materials, the report says. Crude
rubber imports increased by $34,-
100000, manufactured wool by
$24,290, 900, raw silk by $27.14S,00
hides and skins by $16,111 900, nickel
by $l2,462, 900, tin by $16,994 900, cop
per, chiefly for refining and re-
export, by $6,073 900.