The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1915-08-22

exports were s5o5oo.ooO and her i'm
ports were over 81, 000, 900 less. Frances
exports were s54,500,000 and her inn
ports We're SS6,5oo,00o. Smaller coun-
lries. such as Italy. Spain, Portugal.
beiglum, British possessions and those
classed as "other countries" all show
large balance of trade in their favor.
whereas our imports from Brazil are
nearly three times greater than our ex :
ports to that country.
Greatest Coffee Drinkers
The fact that we are the greatest
of coffee drinking nations and large
consumers of crude rubber entities us
to a far greater share of Brazils trade
which we can easily obtain by the
proper effort on our part Beyond a
1eW specialized articles, peculiar to
each European country, there is moth
ing we should not be able to sell them
lii competition with Europe, and there
are many manufactures in which we
nave special advantages. Our first
and most urgent need, not only in deal
ing with Brazil, but with all foreign
countries, is to adapt ourselves to dis
tlnctfve local tastes, ideas and require
ments in certain manufactures and in
the manner of packing our goods for
those markets. however peculiar such
may seem to us; instead of attempting
to enforce upon them our own tastes.
notions and methods which are quite
as inexplicable to them Moreover, IL
1t most essential that our men sent into
Brazil to cultivate that trade should
hive a thorough knowledge of the Por-
tuguese language, the country and It's
people.
The wonderfully rapid progress made
by the Germans in their exploitation of
South and Central American trade can
be traced almost entirely to their ready
Willingness to satisfy the distinctive
tastes and requirements of each country
and to deal with the people in their own
anguage-important methods that any
clever merchant will recognize as highly
profitable. Large numbers of young Ger
mans have been sent to Spain and Portu-
gal annually to perfect their knowledge
of Spanish and Portuguese as a firse
requisite to handling South and Central
American trade another proof of the eff
ficiency and thoroughness of German
methods Occupying an isolated position
and heretofore absorbed in the develop
ment of our own vast and rich country,
the need of acquiring foreign languages
Tor commercial purposes has not been
imposed upon us; but with our attention
attracted more and more to the vast
stores of wealth in South and Central
America. in the great development of
which we are destined to take the lead
ing part, the schoolboy of today will find
himself greatly handicapped in the grow
Ing opportunities open to him if he fails
to learn Portuguese for use in Brazil,
and more especially Spanish, which Is
spoken in all other republics south of us
The young business man, too. should at
least acquire Spanish, for which he will
find great need In his active career.
Unprecedented Demand Now
With the commerce of Germany and
Austria bottled up and that of the allies
largely curtailed, owing to the exigencies
OF the war, there is naturally an I'M
demand for our products and
of all kinds all over South
and Central America. There is nothing
we manufacture in the Birmingham dis
trict that would not find ready sale in
these countries. If my old friend DR..
Boland, has not already done so, he
should seek to introduce his superior
sugar machinery in the large cane-grow-
Ing sections of Brazil. Argentina, Peru
and all of the Central American coun-
tries. II any Birmingham products are
the South American markets
It must be those of the United States
Steel corporation. which is actively at
work in this field and is enjoying a vir-
tual monopoly in its lines at present I
had an interesting chat at Rio de Janeiro
With its representative for Brazil
Having its own line of steamers for
the transportation of its products to
Brazil and ample return cargoes of man.
yanese ores under contract, the present
problem of transportation, especially to
small shippers, can't be one of serious
concern to the Steel corporation.
If no one of our products would seem
10 justify the high expense of a travelling