28 REPORT ON COOPERATION IN AMERICAN EXPORT TRADE.

After making a similar statement, the East and West Review of
Shanghai, in August, 1915, said that imports through the port of
Antung of shirtings, sheetings, drills, j eans, and T cloths by America,
Britain, and Japan during the last three years showed in round numbers
 a decrease for the United States from 62,000 pieces to 33,000
pieces; for England, a decrease from 81,000 pieces to 57,000 pieces;
and for Japan, an increase from 83,000 to over 3,000,000 pieces.
The railroads of the United States grant special carload rates for
export on a few commodities from various inland points to the ports,
but have not granted any such number of export rates as the German
 roads, nor do these rates make so great a reduction from the
domestic rate as do the German rates. The present export rates from
Chicago to Atlantic ports cover comparatively few articles and make
relatively small reductions. Thus the domestic rate on agricultural
implements, dump carts, gasoline engines, traction engines, windmills,
 and scales, from Chicago to New York, is $0.315 per hundred
pounds, while the export rate is $0.28. On flour the domestic rate
(reshipping) is $0.175, the export rate (reshipping) $0.148. Some
of the heaviest reductions for export are found in the rates on iron
and steel billets and rails (new). From Chicago to New York the
domestic rate of $3.26 per long ton on billets is reduced to $3.52 for
export, and on rails from $4.94 to $3.30. From Pittsburgh and Bessemer
 to New York the rates on new rails are $2.57 for domestic and
$1.84 for export shipment. The billet rate of $3.52 and the $1.84
rate on rails will be canceled, effective October 1, 1916, after which
the domestic rates will apply.
While such reductions for export are material and no doubt assist
inland American producers somewhat in reaching foreign markets,
they are small compared to the reductions for export shipment offered
by the German roads. Moreover, unless American ships are available
 to work with American railways for the definite object of fostering
 foreign business through favorable rates, such efforts by the railroads
 of the United States would probably be rendered ineffectual
by foreign shipowners making offsetting, discriminating, freight
charges against American shipments. On this subject, Vice Presient
 George D. Dixon, of the Pennsylvania Railroad, says:
It is true that export rates lower than domestic rates apply upon
2 limited number of specific commodities, which commodities have
been limited to those where the carriers believed a munificent purpose
 was accomplished by such a concession, and it has not been,
in the opinion of the carriers, desirable or conducive to further exportation
 to extend this list. Such concessions in inland rates would
not be likely to have any effect on the general run of exported merchandise
 handled by regular lines of steamships, who would be likely
fo take up in their charges any reduction made by the rail carrier,
so that no reduction in the through rate would result.