Washington, Apr. 8.
The value of United States' exports from September, 1939 until February, 1940 was 33 per cent. above the corresponding period of 1938-39, according to figures just released by the Department of Commerce.
Asia increased purchases by 33 per cent.
Japanese trade with the United States declined 46 per cent. between January and February, after abrogation of the Japanese-American Treaty of Commerce and Navigation.
Japan's total purchases for ihe period from September, 1939 until February, 1940, however, were fourteen per cent. over the same period in 1938-39.
Europe took 44 per cent. of a total of $1,949,000,000 (£487,000,000) worth of exports. Of these, the United Kingdom took—$318,000,000 worth, which was fourteen per cent. above the figures for the same period of 1938-39, but thirteen per cent. less than two years ago.
Exports to France are valued at $149,000,000, double these during the same period of 1938-39.
Sales of aircraft totalled $91,000,- 000, compared with $31,000,000 in the previous corresponding period. The Allies were the heaviest buyers.
The war has caused gains in the exports of tobacco, grains, fruits and motor-cars.—Reuter.
A German Junker aeroplane was brought down last night following an aeral flight over the Hautes Tone region. The machine fell in flames, the four occupants being killed.
"Intense artillery fire in the region west of the Vosges," records the latest French communique on military operations on the Western Front, ssued here today. "There was local activity of patrols," it adds—Reuter.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.