It is surprising to find that British Guiana comes next after Argen tina in its per capita trade with the United States. This means that British guidance in the production of sugar, and the British policy of free trade, raise British Guiana above other tropical countries such as Brazil with its coffee plantations, and Colombia and Venezuela with the advantage of nearness. On the other hand, Dutch Guiana falls to the bottom of the South American list because the Dutch governmental policy forces trade to go to the Netherlands. In South America the west coast countries in equatorial latitudes, that is, Ecuador and Peru, fall below the corresponding east coast countries by reason of dryness and ruggedness, while the interior countries of Bolivia and Paraguay fall lower still because of their poor transportation facilities.
The trade of the United States with Africa illustrates once more the fact that business depends on people far more than upon things. The four parts of Africa that stand highest in trade with the United States are those where the British and French are most numerous. Africa is potentially a rich continent, but it is so handicapped by the poor health, lack of energy, and low standards of its people that its business is very limited. This does not mean that resources are not also important. For example, in South Africa two-thirds of the surplus available to pay for imports from America depends on gold and diamonds. Even with out these temporary sources of wealth, however, South Africa as well as Egypt and French North Africa, in spite of the distance from the United States, would carry on a considerable trade with us because those are the parts where Europeans are most numerous and the natives most active. Of course the trade of Africa with Europe is much larger than with the United States, for Europeans go to that continent while our people go to the corresponding regions of Latin America. In both cases a few energetic people from the north largely determine the con ditions of business. The fact that Africa's trade with the United States is so small shows that even a progressive government like that of Eng land does not overcome the racial character of the Africans. But the fact that the trade with England and the other holders of colonies is far larger than with the United States also shows that trade follows the flag.
Because of its dense population and the large proportion of its people who are active in business Europe is by far the most important continent in the trade of the United States as well as in the business of the world. The most active American trade centers at the English Channel, whence it diminishes rapidly in all directions. There many conditions combine to encourage trade, for transportation is easy, the climate is good, and the standards of civilization are high.
One of the surprising features of European trade is the way in which the importance of the Swiss per capita in American commerce rises well above that of their immediate neighbors. Switzerland is badly located for trade because it has no seacoast; it has few resources aside from its scenery; and it is hampered by the tariffs of its neighbors. Yet because its people stand high in ability and energy and have high ards not only of living but of working, so that their goods are of the best quality, a million people there are as important to the United States as 50 million in China. Another remarkable feature of the trade of
Europe is the low position of Russia and the other countries of eastern Europe. A million Russians, even before the Great War, were scarcely more important in our trade than a million Chinese or Hindus, and not a tenth as important as a million Japanese. The distance by sea from New York to Odessa is 5370 miles, and to Petrograd 4632, so that Russia is much more accessible to the eastern United States than are Australia and New Zealand to either the eastern or western coasts of this country. Yet before the war a million people in New Zealand represented as much trade with us as did 50 million in Russia and today the difference is still greater. This is not because New Zealand has more articles than Russia which we especially want, for Russia and Siberia, which are here taken together, might produce much more than New Zealand in the way of commodities such as platinum, hides, and wool. The reasons for the small trade of Russia and of the other coun tries of eastern Europe with the United States are found partly in the lack of energy and the low standards of the people, partly in poor government, and partly in the extent to which the Russian language, customs, and ideals differ from our own.
In addition to this there is another important factor which has not yet been mentioned, namely the fact that other active countries like Britain, France, Sweden, and especially Germany lie nearer to Russia than does the United States. Even their trade with Russia, however, is slight, for so backward is that country that before the Great War a million people in Switzerland represented as much foreign commerce with all other countries as did 24 million in Russia. Other things being equal, a country deals with the nearest country where trade is active. In this fact lies the explanation of much of the disappointment of the world over America's attitude after the Great War. It was hoped that the United States would take an interest in Russia and help her to recover from the effects of the revolution. It was also proposed that the United States assume a mandate over at least a part of Turkey. But the people of America showed little interest in the matter. BeCause there was little trade to bind the east of Europe to America there were not many people who had an active personal interest in that disturbed part of the world. Wise people believed that it would be good for America and good for the world to have America help the Near East, and that the mere fact of a direct relationship would greatly stimulate business as has been the case in the Philippines. But geographic con ditions have hitherto turned the interests of the United States so strongly to Latin America that the care of the Near East has been left to the countries that lie nearer. In western Europe, on the contrary, everything combines to give us an interest so great that we took part in the Great War and are still closely concerned in many important European affairs.