1935 Press Photo New York Japan takes a 400% bite into U.S. Industry NYC

New York... That men must work and families must be fed are axioms well understood. Less easily understood are the dry statistics by which Uncle Sam keeps track of our commerce. Now the factories are closing one after another. Workers are going on relief. Families are going without food. Uncle Sam put his finger on the country's trade pulse and found it very weak. A veritable flood of Japanese merchandise has been dumped on our markets, blocking the way to trade recovery. These are the figures of the U.S. Department of Commerce. Japan's exports in cotton hankerchiefs and mufflers leaped 1,200 per cent in the american market. Wool carpets and rugs from Japan were marked by a 4,000 percent increase. Other merchandise is as follows: Gloves; 500%; Hosiery, 400%; bedspreads and quilts, 100%; hat materials 800% and silk articles, 150%. Especially in the realm of "King Cotton" is an american industry threatened by the frenzied competition from Japan. Heroic work must be done to save the industry from extinction. The silver salt-shaker set (left) is made in america and sells for $12.63. It's exact same duplicate (right) is made in Japan of reclaimed metal and sells for only $1.69.

Photo is dated 1935.

Photo measures 8.5 x 6.75 inches.