Evening star., 1940-09-12
Raids Likely
To Force Drastic
Trade Changes
Vast World Business
Threatened by Reich
Bombing Plans
BY PAUL d. GESNER,
A { shcla I'D prses Pttsinnsk Writpr

NEW YORK, Sept. 12-German
threats to dump 10000 plane loads
of bombs a day on the city of Lon
don during the next few days brings
possibility Of still more drastic
changes in world trade, already
badly upset by the European war
and sea blockade, exporting circles
said today.
Greater London's pre-War popu-
lation was over 100000.
Into the city before the war
poured wool. sugar. rubber. tea. re-
frigerated meats. provisions, furni-
ture woods, metals. rum, wine,
brandy, spices. ivory, ostrich
feathers, typewriters, motion pic
ture film, gasoline. tobacco, cigars,
silk and other goods to the tune of
around $1,000 900 900 annually
Biggest manufacturing city of the
United Kingdom. out of its factories
TO export destinations rolled Empire
labeled goods in heavy volume, lift
ing combined London imports, ex-
ports and re-exports to around So
O0O, 900 900 a year.
'- Liverpool in Lead.
Liverpool, from the foreign trade
STANDPOINT handled bigger ton
mage Of import-eXport business.
largely because of its proximity both
to the sea and 10 British cotton,
Woolen and steel manufacturing
plants But economists have noted
a steady growth in the volume of
business in London and have pre-
dicted that by 1850 its foreign trade
total might surpass that of Liver
pool
The prediction. of course. was
made prior to recent growing in
tenSity of the war
Foreign trade Of the United States
underwent kaleidoscope changes
during the first year of World War
No. 2 as European customers sharply
reduced takings of our farm prod
uCtS, with the exception Of cotton,
to provide more dollar funds for the
purchase of airplanes, steels. ma
chine tools and other war supplies
here.
And now. even without chalking
London out of the export picture,
new changes in our export trade are
held near.
Fresh Losses Feared.
If Great Britain continues sue
cesSfully to resist German attacks.
steady demand from Canada and the
United Kingdom for United States
made war supplies is likely. How
ever, many observers doubt whether
this type of trade will offset expected
fresh losses in export business else
where as time goes on
The continent of Europe, for all
practical purposes, is closed to Amer
ican commerce" says the New York
Trust Co. in a study. The full ef-
feet of this change is only beginning
to be felt. Without the European
market for raw material exports of
Latin America, prices of that re-
gion's principal products are de-
clining, and its ability to continue
to absorb the large quantities of
United States goods it has been TAX
ing in recent months is thereby i'm
paired, unless this country provides
the necessary purchasing power.
Exports of aircraft, steel, ma
chine tools, ammunition and imple-
ments of war, which have been
so markedly. may be af-
fected by the introduction of a sys-
tenn of priorities as this country's
national defense program proceeds.
In view of these facts, there is
reason to believe that export gains
IN the coming months will be sub
stantially less than those recently
if indeed ordinary for
eign commerce does not actually fall
below the levels Of the pre-war pc
Rod"