The Sunday telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1914-1927, 1915-09-12
REMOVING TRACE
BARRIERS BIG ]
TASK,
Must Be Accomplished before
Latin-American Trade Can
Be Increased.

WASHINGTON, D. G., Sept. H.
"Removing the barriers" is the inn
portant task set before those who are
acting IN behalf Of the United States
IN the efforts to increase the volume
OF trade between North and Central
and South America. and one barrier
to which 1t has been found necessary
to give vast amount of attention In
proportion to It's actual magnitude is
that OF the insignificant but extreme
ly troublesome question of, the form
iof the shipping documents.
As required by many of the Latin
American countries. these offer a
complicated problem to the Exporters
in the United States who have not
been, fully and accurately instructed
on the subject. The bureau OF foreign
and domestic commerce has undertake
en- tho responsibility OF removing this
barrier by. making 1t possible for the
American shippers to obtain informa-
ton regarding these requirements
which has not been easily available in
the past.
The dif1culties encountered are fully
appreciated by American exporters
who have attempted to ship their goods
without the assistance of a. commits
sion house or customs broker. They
have found an embarrassing obstacle
in the fines provided for every pos
sible deviation from the prescribed
rcustoms regulations. which are very
detailed as to the information to be
included in the documents.
Numerous instances have been re-
ported where fines were Imposed for
such slight Irregularities as the fail
|ures to state the nationality of the yes
sci in the invoice. the use Of ditto
marks, or incorrect translation of the
designation Of the goods included in
the shipments AS q result American
exporters have had the unpleasant ex-
perience OF refunding fines to the CON
Esignes OF their goods, with incidental
delay; of proceedings which has tend
ed to impede the extension OF trace
that lis strongly desired at tho pres
ent time. NJ
The bureau OF foreign and domestic
commerce has just issued a sixty-six
page pamphlet. Consular Regulations
Of Foreign Countries Canada and
Latin America0 J" taritt series No. "a,
which contains complete description
of the shipping documents required
in each Of the countries where diff
culties have been encountered, and
copies Of this publication may be OBJ
tanned from the superintendent Of
documents, Washington. d. C., at 10
cents each. This guide book. for
American exporters, as. 1t may be call
ed. gives facsimiles Of the consular
invoices used in each Of the countries
and points to such peculiar features
as may be overlooked by the average
shipper.
The material has been compiled
with great care. the chapter for each
country having been submitted for
revision to a consular representative
of that country. Some American
banking institutions and commission
houses have also been consulted and
all possible efforts made to meet the
situation disclosed by the numerous
complaints that have reached the Of
fees Of the bureau at Washington.
It is believed that by using the pub
LEGATION. the average exporter In this
country will be able to prepare his
Shipping documents with sufficient
knowledge Of the requirements to
avoid the fines and delays of the past.
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