The Archive · 1938

European Business

The Commerce Department reported business with central and southeastern Europe was holding up surprisingly well despite the crisis and Germany's large gains in that area. But they added much of the American goods flowing into that area were ordered before the crisis and that practically all business is being conducted on a short term basis.

One high official described the Eastern European trade situation as "highly uncertain" and probably subject to sharp change at any time Another reason for the recti trade with Ethiopia as a result of the Italien conquest. This country's trade to that country prior to the Italian occupation did not exceed one million collars annually. Present exports to Italian East Africa go by way of Italian ports, so no comparison with pre-war statistics is possible. United States direct imports of Ethiopian coffee, the largest import.

State Department officials declined to estimate American property losses resulting from hostilities in Spain and China, but they are known to be large, particularly in China.—United Press.

Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.

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