The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-11-23
Trouble Heretofore Has
Been Lack of Return Car
goes From the South
MUCH HAS OCCURRED
TO CHANGE AFFAIRS
Brazil Will Soon Be Exporting Ore.
Argentina May Send Wheat and
Cattle-West Coast Is
Being Developed
BY HOLLAND

New York, November 22-(Special)-A
few days ago Romulo S. Naon, in behalf
Of the Argentine government, which as
minister plenitpotentiary he represents at
Washington, intimated that IL Argentina
wheat We're admitted into the United
States free of duty the action would
tend to increase the already large com
mercial relations between the United
States and Argentina.
1t certainly would tend to the permanent
establishment of commerce bearing steam
ship lines between this country and South
America. Somewhat slowly, but apparent
ly surely, the problem of how best to
maintain steamship communication with
the Latin-American countries, especially
with South America, is being solved Ern-
est II. Wands, who was commissioner
general of the United States at the Cen
tennial exposition In Argentina. and who
mas as representative of the state de-
partment visited almost all of the South
American countries, is persuaded that
the time is not distant when commerce
bearers will find profitable employment in
service between the United States and
the Latin-American countries.
Mr.. Wands is now in this city and in
connection with the published report that
the minister from Argentina has pro-
posed that the wheat of his country be
admitted free of duty into the United
States said this morning that this Incl
dent Of Itself was demonstration of a
tendency toward such large increase in
reciprocal commerce as would make the
establishment of steamship lines between
this country and the Latin-American
countries and their profitable operation in
evitable
FOR many years capital has looked upon
the proposition that steamship lines be
established between the United States
and South America with very great in
terest, but also with doubt Some capital
was invested in steamship lines, cour-
ageous investment and not a very sue
cessful one.
Where the Trouble Lay
The chief reason why it has been
found commercially impractcable to es-
tabiish new steamship lines operating be-
tween the United States and South Amer
lea was due to the difficulty in obtaining
return freight. 1t is true that four or
five months of the year steamers were
profitably employed in bringing coffee
from Brazil to this country. The busi-
ness was, in fact, so profitable that it
was found practicable commercially to
send steamers to Brazil sand Brazilian
ports In water ballast, there being no
great amount of freight from the United
States to Brazil. k.
These vessels brought back coffee in
enormous amounts; many of them were al
most overloaded. But that business was
practicable for only about five-possibly
sx-inonths of the year On the other
hand there was little profit in operating
steamship lines between the United States
and Argentina. Much of the business was
done by tramp steamers Argentinas ex-
ports We're chiefly wheat and cattle. some
hides. But the United States was not
buying wheat or cattle Therefore it
seemed impracticable to operate steam
ship lines having regular sailings be-
tween this country and Argentina. This
was also true to some extent of the west
coast of South America.
A Recent Change
Recently there arrived in New York a
large cargo of chilled Argentine beef.
1t is presumed to be the beginning of
very heavy importations of beef from
that country. The business will be MAIN
taned and increased for many years.
Very large American capital engaged in
the packing business became interested a
few years ago in raising cattle in Ar
gentna and in building apparatus for