The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1914-08-31
|PAN-AMERICAN UNION URGES NEED
 OF SOUTH AMERICA
Loans and Big Increase in Trade Await U. S. Bankers and Merchants.

in his capacity as an international off1-
 cer-that is, an officer of all the South American countries as well as
 of the United States-malxe the fol-
 lowing urgent appeal to the commer-
 cial and financial interests of the Uni-
 ted States:
 "As the executive officer of the Pan
 American Union5 the organization of
 the American republics devoted to the
 development Of commerce, friendship.
 intercourse and goodwill among them
 all, I appeal to the banking. ship
 ping, manufacturing. exporting and
 importing interests of the United
 States to give at this moment every
 possible aid and attention to the crit-
 fcal South American situation brought
 on by the European war.
 While everybody must profoundly
 regret that a con dition of war and the
 sufferings of European nations en-
 gagged in a great conflict should in any
 way be exploited for the selfish gain
 of the United States, it's business in-7
 terests have duty and responsibiIity
 in this crisis which must be met even
 if it may bring them vast material
 benefits. Looking at the situation in
 a thoroughly unselhsh way. it pre-
 sents demands upon the United States
 from South America which can not
 be neglected, but which. if responded
 to in the right spirit, will be enor-
 mousIy benehcial to South America and the United States alike. The prob lem divides itself into four heads Imports. Exports, Ships and Loans.
 South American Imports All South America is an enormous purchaser of the manufactured products of Eur
 ope- A large portion of this supply will be shut off during the next six months and possibly during the next year or two if the war continues. AS many South American countries de- pend largely upon Europe for it's s4b- soIute necessities, and a major part of these order4 are placed but short time ahead because of the excellence of the regular shipping facilities. they are now face to face with an in1m ed fate famine in the articles which they most generally importt.
 ..According to the latest available figures collated in the Pan American Union. the ten South American coun-. tries-Argentina,B Bolivia, Brazil Chile. Colombia, Ecuador, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay and enezue1a-annually i'm port products valued at $961. .0o0. .o0o. Of this there comes from Europe pro-
 ducts valued close to $6 60, ,0o0, ,000.
 While Great Britain supplies products of this total to the value of approx inate1y $273, 900, 900. Germany, which. is completely cut off by the war, sup
 plies $18o.000,oo0: France, $s4s000.- 900; Italy, $54,000.0U0; Beigiurn, $47,-i 0o000; Austria-Hungary, $8, 900, ,000;= Netherlands, $3,000, 900; Switzer-
 
 countries lesser sums.
 "For comparison it can be stated that the average imports from the Uniter States of thek3 ten countries of
 mateIy I$15 5, ,0o0, 900. Bearing the fact in mind that the commercial re- lationship of South America and Eur ope has been so we'll organized and systematized that seventy-five per cent of these imports are only ordered @yes <9 of their delivery, it can De realized how soon the present supplies on hand in South America will be ex- hausted and that she must depend upon the United States to make up the deficiency. If the United States man. every effort to supply this emergency
 demand without increase of prices. or unnecessary delay they will ac- complish great permanent good for l themselves and the South American business interests alike.
 South American Exports. The l same Compilation of figures shows that South America annually exports
 to foreign countries products valued
 at approximately $1,177. 100000. Of this total nearly $70o,000.000 go to
 Europe. Of these products Great Britain takes approximately $270. 0.oo0.-. 900; Germany, $157, ,00o.o00; France, $104. .09o,0o0; Belgium $6o.000,; Meth erIands, $44. 100, 900; Italy $27,0oo, 900: Austria-Hungary, $2z,000,0O0; with the remaining amount divided among different countries.
 I ssFor comparison, it can be stated that these ten countries of South
 America export to the United States
 annually products valued at approx innate1y $25O, 900, 0Q0.
 with, therefore, their principal
 markets for their raw products tenn porari1y closed against them. these ten countries are looking for a place to dispose of their accunulating stores. and if the importing interests of the United States, including the manufacturers of raw material, can relieve the situation by increasing
 their purchases they may save the South American business interests from a financial crisis.
 ''eships fer the South American Trade. AS nearly ninety per cent. of the exports and imports of these South American countries are carried in German, British and other Euro pean bottoms. which are now with drawn from the sea- all of their prin- cipai ports like Rio de Janeiro, Monte video, Buenos Aires, Valparaiso, CaI-
 lao and La Guaira are in 8 state equal l to that of a formal blockade. The majority of these vessels will be ab- solutely unable to operate for many
 months and possibly several years un- less the situation is quickly renedied. There is no limit to the sufferings that will come to these countries and ports if their facilities for sending out their
 exports and bringing in the necessary imports are cut of. In this crisis it is to be sincerely hoped that the bill now being passed by the United States Congress may be of great assistance in relieving the situation. That, how ever, can only point out the way There must follow the placing upon the high seas to operate between the United States and the principal South American ports a fleet of vessels fly ing the American flag, and this can only be done by United States com panfes taking advantage of this act of Congress and carrying out the pro-
 visi ons of this bill.
 National Loans. Just as war was declared several Of the principal countries of South America were ne s,.4