The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1915-10-27
CAMPAIGN FOR WORLD TRADE
ELABORATE SCHEME TO BE
PRESENTED TO CONGRESS.
Department of Commerce to IIclp
American Merchants Selling Op-
pOrtunity for Bigger Commerce.

plans Tor u worldwide campaign for
trade by the United States are re-
vealed in department Of commerce ex-
penditure estimates to be presented
to congress this winter. Through the
bureau of foreign and domestic COM
merce the department proposes to aid
American merchants and manufacture
ers In taking advantage Of opportu-
mites now before them and in prepar-
ing for the struggle for trade supre-
macy which commercial officials are
certain Will follow the European war.
Reorganization of the staff in Wash
mgt0n and an increase to about twies
Its present extent of the foreign COM
mercial service are contemplated, ac-
cording to statement today by DR.. E.
T.. Pratt, chief Of the bureau. Appro-
priations will be sought to provide for
extensive investigation of CONNER
cial relations abroad and for tariff in
quiries by the cost of production
given.
"As part of this general pro-
gramme Of preparedness said DR..
Pratt. the secretary Of commerce
VIII request congress to make q very
largely increased appropriation for
the bureau Of foreign and domestic
commerce. Secretary Redfield be-
lieves that commercial preparedness
should not be overlooked; that the
United States is facing a great and
unusual opportunity for increased
world commerce, and he has expressed
the conviction in the requests which
he will make on congress to enable the
department of commerce to do a
larger and more effective work in pro-
noting commerce than is now pos
sible.
"One of the most important in
creases asked for is for an increase Il
clerical staff in Washington. This
amounts practically TO rcorganiza-
ton of the bureau with additional di-
visions for new branches of work re-
Gently undertaken.
THE commercial agent service Is
the backbone of the trade promotion
| organization. 1t T., anticipated that
under the appropriations asked for
1t will be possible during the
fiscal year 19lG-17 10 make reserva-
tons Of the foreign exchange market
ioc cotton textiles. railway supplies
boots and shoes, agricultural implc-
ments, furniture, machinery Of al
kinds electrical power equipment,
structural material, wearing apparel,
investment possibilities, etc. No large
increase will be asked by the bureau
for the establishment OF branch Offices
I'm the United States, but the bureau
hopes to extend this service through
the cooperation of local commercial
organizations.
"The commercial attachc service
has been In existence just about q
year 1t has proved so useful that an
addition of ten commercial attaches
VIII be recommended. These attaches,
IT Is intended, will be stationed in
Japan, India, South Africa, Spain,
Scandinavia, Italy, the Netherlands,
the Balkan States, Central America
and Venezuela and Colombia. With
the preset organization the CONNER
cial attachc service will then cover
practically the entire world.
"A similar increase in the bureaus
work In promoting trade with Latin
American countries will be requested.
1t Is also planned to take up series
OF market Investigations abroad for
the purpose of placing producers OF
raw materials and staple products in
| closer and more intelligent contact
with foreign markets. There is q
constant demand for information with
reference to foreign markets for lum-
Der. coal. cotton, wheat, flour, rice,
etc., and congress will be asked to
make special appropriation 10
enable the bureau to study the mar
, ket for these products abroad.
"The secretary will strongly urge
congress to set aside an appropra-
ton for securing. tabulating and pub
fishing concrete information with ref
erencc to the statistics of internation-
al commerce. 1t is hoped in this way
to provide a record for movement Of
traffic on the great lakes. coastwise
traflic, traiiic on rivers and in har-
borS and movements Of important
staple products INTO and out Of i'm
portant commercial centres.
The bureau will ask for three years
q comparatively small appropriation