Evening star., 1915-11-21

X X
Just as the hostess who cares more
for hospitality than for form greets her
guests at the door
Greeting Foreign and makes 1t a
p ~ point to meet their
Business Agents. every want, 80 the
government Of the United States,
through the bureau of foreign and do
nestle commerce of the Commerce De-
partment, Is meeting and looking after
the representatives Of foreign govern
ments and industries who are f1ocking
to our shores in ever increasing num-
bers. Just now this government
agency, which has come to be to a
large extent the great reception COM
mittee for the nation, is entertaining
and assisting in various parts of the
country representatives from more than
score of foreign countries who have
come here to look over our facilities for
supplying their principals with goods,
as we'll as to estimate our needs for
their own peculiar products.
This movement by foreign emissaries
fields and factories,.to study our meth
DDS and materials and to meet our
manufacturers, merchants and f1nan-
ciers face to face had been growing
for several years, but was given tre-
impetus by the Europesn war.
This great conflict turned the worlds
trade from the channels it had flowed
in for years and centered general at
tention on America as the most logical
new source of practically every article
that enters commerce. from pins to
locomotives.
No sooner did the leaders In foreign
countries come to realize the dominat-
ing commercial Importance OF the Unit
ed States than they began bundling
their commissioners off to our shores.
Many of them have come and gone, and
numerous fat orders have resulted from
their visits. Others have gone into the
more thoroughly. and are
still in the country, frequently changing
their bases of operations. Still others
of the visitors have opened more or less
commercial agencies in our
centers and larger ports
and are establishing valuable com
mercial relations and directing the
flow Of growing streams of trade.
The trade commissioners who have
operated in the United States during
the past year and those who are still
operating here have come under vary
ing auspices, and their objects have
been even more varied. Early in Janu-
ary a commission appointed by the Ru-
manian government came and spent
more than $10,000,000 In the purchase
of military supplies. In the spring
by the government of the republic came
and spent more than two months in
careful study of various Industries and
in conferences with manufacturers and
ca pitalists. A Chinese american steam
ship line and bank, both to be impor-
tant factors in building trade with the
orient, are likely to be fruits of the
visit. Commissioners of the Spanish
government also came during the year
both to purchase army supplies. includ-
ct yIntn ~
eral trade. And there has recently ar
rived an important French commission
to purchase machinery.
In addition to the governmental COM
dozens of representatives Of
and large businesses have
come to the United States. and in some
cases the heads of enterprises them
selves have made the trip. One such
trade promotion visitor is the head of
a large Australian firm. He first made
an exhaustive study of Industrial and
exhibits at the Panama
Pacific exposition. and now, under the
guidance of officials of the bureau Of
foreign and domestic commerce. 10
the country making thorough
of the industrial plants in
whose operations he is interested.
In every case in which 1t was learned
that commissions or individuals were
TO study American markets or
some phase of American industrial ac-
tivity the bureau has held itself out
to assist the visitors and has been of
value in countless ways. Headquar-
ters, office facilities and clerical as
sistance have been furnished in all
cities in which the bureau has branches,
and elsewhere. through the bureaus in
fiuence, local organizations have as
sisted.
The activities of the visitors. the bu-
reau has found, have touched foreign
and domestic trade from almost every
angle. One of the most in
teresting schemes that it has had pre-
sented to it was by a Chilean visitor,
who, realizing that one of the draw
backs to the more extensive travel of
agents for United States
firms in his country is lack of hotels
of the type to which they are used, is
seeking to interest American capital-