26 REPORT ON COOPERATION IN AMERICAN EXPORT TRADE,
they are discriminated against in freight charges, and that their
business secrets are in danger of betrayal by foreign shipowners to
their foreign competitors.
RAILROADS.

Certain foreign countries have made special use of their railroads
for the extension of their foreign trade. Thus, for the express purpose
 of fostering German foreign trade, the German state-owned
railways have granted import and export rates far below the domestic
 rates. The export rates on steel forgings from Diisseldorf
to Hamburg in 1913 were $1.29 per metric ton, while the domestic
rate between these points was $2.31. In many other instances export
rates of half or less than half the ordinary domestic rates have been
granted. These rates are illustrated by the following comparison of
carload export rates and domestic rates on certain articles from
inland points to German ports in 1913:

FABLE 2—Comparison of export rates and domestic rates on German railroads.

Cities.

Cologne to Hamburg. .....uveveenen..

0. cnn tinennaaen
Frankfort to Jamburg.
Frankfort to Bremen..
frankfort to Liibeck...
Trankiort to Hamburg
Trankfort to Bremen...
Frankfort to Liilbeck . .

Miles.

267. 2
267.2
267. 2
267. 2

267.2
330.6
85. 2
158,
"30.
35,
58.1

| Export] Domestic
Class of goods. rate. Tate.

Copper goods, lead in blocks, tubes... .
Zinc in sheets, ete. .. ER
Cotton g00dS. -.vumusnenennin ooo.
Machinery and machine parts, ironware.

Iron plates, locomotives, ete...
Machines and ironware..
-...do.. ——
Tron J roduste, such as beams, etc....
....do, wy gy iy
cavando., B

14
3.17
3. 64
2.52

£6.38
4.86
6.38
4, 88

1.33
07
o. 69
3.31
.67
.45
.79

3.83
6.00
5.21
6.47
4.71
4,12
5.00

In addition to the regular export rates, through rates, joint
rail and ocean, were granted for shipments from German cities to
certain foreign markets which were even lower than the rates
quoted above. For such shipments through bills of lading were
issued and every effort was made to facilitate the business.
Many American business men have testified to the effectiveness of
such measures for developing German business overseas, and the
United States consul general in Berlin said on this subject in 1913:
One of the most important factors in the development of Germany’s
 foreign trade is the aid extended by the railways belonging
lo the various Federal States in giving reduced freight rates to the
German shipping ports on goods coming from the interior and intended
 for export.

Prior ¢o the war, Belgium was one of the great gateways of
European commerce, and the transit of goods from and to interior
Kuropean points contributed materially to the prosperity of the