Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1914-06-29
American Chambers of Commerce Abroad

The results obtained by the activi-
ties of the American Chamber of
Commerce for the Levant in the Bag
dad Province are very considerable,
both generally speaking and also in
respect to specific instances in par
ticular cases and occasions of dis
playing such activity says Vice
Consult c. RiCharz, Bagdad, Turkey.
There is no doubt that it is chiefly
by the perusal of the articles and
hints concerning commercial rela-
tons and facilities for import from
and export to the United States OF
America contained in the publications
of the organ of the chamber, the
LeVant Trade Review, that a higher
interest for trade relations with the
United States has been aroused in
this district. Before the Levant Trade
Review was spread and read over in
this town, the native trading popula-
ton knew only of Great Britain for
general commerce. and after that only
of Germany. Austria Hungary and
France for some specialties, as the
four great trading nations with which
it seemed advisable and profitable for
Bagdad merchants to communicate
and to establish permanent relations
for import and export of European
spectively.
1t was by the information given
out from official quarters about the
character and Importance of the
newly founded American Chamber of
Commerce for the LeVant at Con-
stantinople, and especially by the
careful examination of the advices
concerning the useful establishment
Of commercial relations with the
United States. contained in the Le-
want Trade Review, that people in
this country became really and fully
aware of the fact that there is
great powerful and prosperous re
public beyond the seas with which it
would be to their WelI-understood in
terest and advantage to establish
closer and more profitable trade re-
lations.
The successful effect of the efforts
of the chamber in making recommen-
dations TO American manufacturers
and exporters interested in intro
dueins their articles in the LeVan1.
as we'll as to firms in the United
! States interested in importation from
the Levant is clearly shown by this
| fact.
Increasing Trade Inquiries.
There has been a considerable in
crease in the number of trade inqui-
ries regarding both import and eX-
! porD received at this consular office
! from the United States since the
! foundation Of the American chamber
and the publication of its journal. To
! illustrate this influence upon the de
velopment of American trade with
this old and rich district of the Near
East a number of instances may he
cited where the activities of the
American Chamber of Commerce for
the Levant have been effective.
Two local firms, which are members
Of the American Chamber, and an
| other firm which obtained lntorma-
ton from this consulate regarding
the publications of the chamber, have
extended considerably their importa
ton of American machinery Chiefly
| agricultural machinery, hand pumps
etc) on that ground. Still another
Bagdad member of the American
| chamber, as well as one of the firms
in the first group, has taken up an
extensive import of cotton goods from
the United States in consequence OF
| the perusal of several items concern
! ing those commodities in the Levant
Trade Review. Two more Bagdad
business houses have imported great
| quantities of Milwaukee beer on some
hints given by the American cham
her in it's quarterly publications.
Articles and advertisements in the
Levant Trade Review concerning the
import of oleo oil, leather, clocks and
watches, drugs and medicines, toilet
articles, and gramophones into the
| Turkish Empire have come to the
notice of seven native commercial
firms of this district and induced
them to introduce the said American
goods into the Bagdad market.
In several of these specific instances
quoted the chamber could assist thu
importing firms here by its advice