Evening star., 1940-02-09
Russian Purchases
OF u. ). Metals Are
Boosted Sharply
Exports Running More
Than Million q Month
Above Lost Year
BY CHARLES E. HARNER,
Arrnciated press Rusiness Writer.

NEW YORK, Feb. 9.-RuSSlan
purchases-largely of metals-from
the United States are running more
than 100000 month higher than
last year. informed trade sources
disclosed today.
The Soviet, these authorities said,
is employing the Pacific as the
highway for this trade, shipping
practically everything from the
West Coast to Vladivostok, the
eastern terminal of the Trans
Siberian Railway.
Copper and lead are among the
foremost items on the Russian i'm
port list. Both Russian and Amer
lean ships are engaged in the
trade.
An official of Amtorg Trading
Corp, the Soviet purchasing agency.
said the present rate OF shipping
of all varieties of American eX-
ports to Russia is about the same
as in 1888, when Russia bought
more than $69,Oo0,0oO worth of
American goods" Last year Rus
sia bought only about $56,000,000
worth of products.
The Russian agent explained that
much of the copper was for use i'll
the Soviet's electric power develop
ment lin the Far East, where pre-
viously there was hardly any elec-
trio power
Cites Reduced Cost.
He said: shipments are made
by water to the Far East because of
the reduced cost compared with
rail shipments across the whole OF
the Soviet Republic"
Other shipping sources pointed out
chat shipments across the Pacific
were far less subject to the dangers
of war than those across the
Atlantic.
One of the byproducts of the in
creased rate of Russian purchases
is the sudden emergence to prom
inence of the ancient, sleepy and
beautiful Mexican port of Man.
zanillo into international import
anCe.
Manzanillo, we'll sheltered from
the rigors of war and politics, is
being used these days as haven
of transshlpping. Freighters de-
stined for Vladivostok are met at
the Mexican wharves by American
ships bearing cargoes. There the
cargoes are shifted, and the Russian
boats start out for home while the
American vessels 60 back for more
metals.
Some May Go to Reich.
Down along the Manzanillo docks,
it is rumored that some of the car
goes are destined for Germany and
for the Red Army in Finland, but
nobody has offered any official an
nouncement along such lines. Just
about as many ships are loading in
New Jersey and sailing for Russia
by way of the Panama Canal.
A survey OF the present movement
OF ships carrying materials to Russia
shows:
Steamship Harpoon, now loading
at Manzanillo for Vladivostok.
Steamship Wildwood, expected to
sail for Vladivostok February 20.
Steamship Fred Engles, sailing
from Seattle for Vladivostok.
Steamship Kim. going to Man.
zanlllo after unloading S5,6OOOOO
in gold bullion at San Francisco. ex-
pected to reach the Mexican port
February 13 and to sail February
20 for Vladivostok.
Steamship Minsk, expected load
at Manzanillo February 20, to reach
San Pedro. Calf, February %, to
reach Tacoma, Wash, March 5 and
then to sail for Vladivostok.
Steamship Vladimir Mayakowski,
sailing for Vladivostok from San
Pedro after call at Manzanillo.
Steamship Silvaplana, on the way
to Vladivostok via Panama Canal
after loading at Jersey City, N. j.
Steamship Texas, expected to sail
February % for Vladivostok after
loading at Jersey City.
Steamship Norbryn, expected to
sail February 20 from Jersey City
for VladivoStok.
Steamship North King, en- route
from Tacoma to Vladivostok.