Evening star., 1949-11-27
BuildingOur
ExportTrade.
Is Expensive.
Americans Paid 101
Billion for Goods
Sent Abroad
By Siqrid Arne

" StSiio S'HS
A chart on Secretary of State
Acheson's Office wall shows how
much you and las taxpayers
and consumers-have paid since
1914 because we thought. as a
Nation, that we should sell more
abroad than we bought.
The chart says that between
1914 and 1948 we shipped abroad
goods worth $101 900. 100000 for
which we got no return in goods.
The economists called that our
export surplus"
How did foreigners get those
goods If we got no return? Didn't
the American exporters get paid?
To get the answers straight,
State Department experts say,
you have to think Of two sets Of
people.
You have to think OF United
States exporters. who are few IN
number and who make the profits
when American goods are sold
abroad. And you have to think Of
all the rest of us, who pay the
taxes.
Also, you have to think of the
two ways in which the United
States is usually paid when its
goods move abroad: In dollars to
the men who ship the goods and
in goods which the whole Nation
gets as it buys.
Naturally, as goods went abroad
these past IS years the exporters
got paid or they couldn't have con-
tinued to ship. They got paid in
dollars.
But Mr.. Acheson's chart shows
that all Americans paid for that
$101 900. 100000 worth Of goods
that went abroad and for which
no goods came back. -
This Is how: One-sixth was paid
for by gifts our people sent abroad,
one-sixth by gold that came in
here and which we hide at Fort
Knox, KY. Two-thirds (about
$68, 900 ,000,o00D was paid for by
United States Government loans
and credits to other governments,
paid for out Of taxes.
Studied by Experts 9.
The nub of the question now be-
fore the State Department is:
How much good Is that kind of
exporting? Is export trade really
favorable" when it is paid for by
Americans and other people use
the goods? Shouldn't we sort OF
forget the dollar totals for a while
and Just insist that we get back
from other countries about the
same amount Of goods we ship
abroad? Shouldn't the emphasis
be on goods we can use. whether 1t
is French perfume or q mineral
like tungsten?
All this is being studied by the
trade experts Of the State Depart
metn. They have piled up enough
trade history SO that In early
November, at a meeting Of the Ma
tional Foreign Trade Council. Sec
retary Acheson said:
II get impatient with this talk
about our favorable trade bal
ance."
United States experts would like
to change the flow Of goods so
that the United States would get
actual goods in return for what it
ships "out instead of just dollar
profits for exporters.
Both Mr.. Acheson and Marshall
Plan Director Paul Hoffman are
urging two sets of people to do
something about It: They are
urging American businessmen to
buy more abroad, and they are
urging Europeans to sell more
here.
State Department researchers
found that about half Of the $101,-
600. 900 for which the United
States got no goods in return went
to its Allies during World War
and II. They think the majority
OF Americans approved those loans
since they bought at least tempo
rary security.
But even in peacetime years,
their research shows, America
shipped abroad goods worth $52.-
000.0o0,000 for which it got no
goods in return.
Many Other Views
Marshall plan experts write:
1T will be seen that the Diff
ference between our exports and
our imports averaged nearly So
090, 100000 a year over the 35-
year period, war years included.
In 1916, however. our export
surplus was $7,8O0,OO0, 900; in
l947 1t ran to $11 300, ,000, 600; in
1948 1t was $4,000, 900, ,000."
This story just tells the State
Departments view among many
governmental views. For many
months ahead various other Gov
ernment departments will tackle
this problem.
Many communities which pro-
duce special products such as
watches or ladies' gloves will be
particularly fearful Of Washing
tons ideas. Their Congressmen
as they always have, will battle
administration plans.
So, again, what can be done
about 1t in the eyes of United
States Government trade ex-.
perts? Here's what they say:
l. If America could succeed ia
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