Evening journal., 1914-10-07


1 doubt if the American manufacturer
ever viii secure more of relative foot
hold in the trade Of South America
than ne now possesses says Colonei
+. G.. Buckner. vice president OF the +. l..
DUPONT de Nemours Powder company
in an article in the current issue OF thel
Scientific American.
The article was written at the re-
quest of the editor, who asked Colonel
Buckner's views as to how to secure
and hold an increased trade IN SCUM
America. This was doubtless due 10
Colonel Buckner having made success
full business trip to South America three
years ago, where he remained SIX
months and studied conditions. Inc
article is entitled "Why We Will Find
il Hard TO Enter South America IL
is as follows;
Frankness compels me to say that !
doubt if the American manufactures
ever will secure more of relative foot
hold in the trade of South American
than he now possesses.
Whyl
Because he neglected his opportunity
through the years gone by and has not
now either the patience or the philo-
sophie temperament to diagnose the sit
uation from business and commercial
standpoint and measure up to 1t.
Let us not deceive ourselves, but look
at this situation in South America as
| it actually is; Germany, England,
/ France, Belgium and Italy have Euro
peanized South America when it comes
to domestic and foreign trade and COM
merce. These countries not only sup
ply South America with the products OF
! their factories, but they have supplied
that continent with the money that has
developed its own resources. The United
! States has had no part in it.
The Monroe Doctrine may have been
potential as against a European Nag
but it has not hindered the European
dollar from securing a permanent loot
hold in the southern half of this hemi-
sphere
European capital so completely domi'
mates South America as to make Europe
all but supreme in her business and
commercial activities, save in the midst
OF such turmoil and confusion as now
prevails across the sea. One has only
TO visit the countries of South America
TO be impressed with the fact that Eu-
ropean capital improved their harbor'
and controls their docks and wharves
that European capital developed theu
mines. built their railroads, constructed
their public utilities, financed their ma
tional debts supplied ocean ships, now
gives stability to their banks, provides
officers to give instruction IN thcl
armies and navies, and in every way
imaginable has so completely worked It,
self into the warp and wool OF business
social and governmental life as to al
but Justify the claim to vested right.
In short. the European dolla
speaks the language of every coun
try in South America.
How will we get in there perman
emily by proceeding on the assump
ton that while these European cour
tries are at war, we can sneak in, snatc
up, run away with and permanent
. possess that which is related 20 unto
millions in the way Of investment, an
represents generations of the most p
tient social and business cultivatio
Foreign trade and commerce are not s
cured and made permanent in this wa
h While South America will take whi
t we hurry to her in this emergency,
= our government owned ships, purchas'
e under the spell of commercial hysteri
!, we must not let the people down the
n get the impression that we are attemp
i ing to take advantage of our wOund
Y and crippled European neighbors
4 their hours of awful anguish, and tn
4 secretly form contempt for us.
N South America will certainly not tc
get that until this horrible cataclys
i'm Europe there was not a single sh
= flying the American flag plying betwe
y the United States and that country,
q yond the Caribbean Sea.
J. Advising Just how to permanent
: cure a foothold in those markets,
y would urge the study and emulation
p the methods pursued by European i
& tons through, many, many years.
y. consider it more timely and Il
e portant, however, TO suggest how,
N my opinion. we cannot permanently
cure such a foothold.
Ne cannot do it by offending {
South Americans sense of what
n manly. fair. and right He Is pro
er and chvalrous. He scOrns 70 take
k vantage of fallen foe either in "
or trade and I warn American busin
men to watch we'll their ways OF III
will learn that whatever temporary
% vantage they may appear to gain
or this emergency, will be later thro
c- back upon them with scorn and
~ risi0n.
Europe and South America
united. not only by commercial, but
social and family ties. Their peo
visit back and forth Tens of tn
~ sands of them have homes in both C
an tinents. They speak each others /
guage; their families are intermarr
The lnnrn snnnnslinn fhnf Amnri