The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-03-08

an american business man In En-
ropc uho has Dircn considerable at
t~cHtion TO the system esto Jlished IN
Germany for the purpose OF develop
ing her export trade has ,crittcn the
foiioutnD article for THE SUN. In
II he cgpioins The i~nfricacics and the
advantages Of the German method OF
doing business abroad. toith a recon- =
m%Cnddfion that American business
men should grasp the present unusual
opportunity to build MP the United
states export TRADE.
This Is a time when American husi-
ness men would do well to give more
than passing attention to Germany's
inttlcRtcly interlaced commercial organ
i~zations for the promotion OF foreign
trade and to her Government fostcred
syndicates for controlling outpu and
fixing prices.
When the war began there were
nearly 5000 OF these organizations In
all parts of the empire. OF which 5000
we're commercial associations, 500 price
fixing syndicates and 500 organizations
Of employers. Working hand in hand
with these was the highly efficient sys-
tenn OF commercial attaches maintained
by the empire at consulates-general and
consulates throughout the world. This
system was originated at the Chicago
worlds lair as the result OF the growth
OF German exports to the United
States due TO the activities OF a tech
nically trained expert who was at
tached to the consulate-general in Chi
cago during the fair.
German commercial houses Ions ago
realized the futility Of trying to in
crease their foreign trade by the Amer
lean method of sending catalogues to
consulates. II is almost impossible TO
interest foreign buyers I'm goods hat
are described In a language they can
not read. with prices and measure
nents IN systems with which they are
unfamiliar. So German houses bega n
using tho exports Of commercial attaches
As text books and then sent statesmen
TO foreign ! nds who could describe
their goods I'd discuss prices. credits
and shipping arrangements In the lam
guage of the buyers.
No Central Organization.
Because Of the peculiar character OF
export trade. with tie conflicting inter
ests. there IL I'm Germany no entra
organization for promoting this trade,
but there are several organizations
which started out with this idea In
mind. These have lessened their activi-
ties. but are doing great work In smaller
fields. promoting the interests of Ger
tain districts ar certain classes Of rro-
ductiou.
The principal association ~ this kin
has its headquarters ~ Berlin and is
called C.ntralvereiu fucr Handelsgeo-
graphic und Foerderunc Dcutschcr In
teressen i'm Auslande. II has - member
ship Of 1000 and publishes q weekly
called Export. n vas founded IN 1873
to promote intercourse between Cor
mans living abroad and those Al home
n 10 investigate prospects for the cN-
tension OF German trade in foreign
countries. one of its aims was to d.
rect emigration to lands whore coudi-
tions were favorable 10 the progress Of
Gcrnan colonists.
THIS Organization maintains au Office
to furnish Information &" applicants aud
studi"s commercial conditions 100 Ell for
"icu lands. In 1855 b. scnt a nudtIuc
exhibition 10 South Nu'r'.t tuI op, u,t
= South American exposition ju H,rl'u
IN the Same year. II j. largely rospou-
slhle for IN" fact that when ~" ptr Too
gan German commercial IN. rests domi-
mated South American markets
At stuttgart Is a permanent Suunl,
house called tNport-Musterlpgc MAIN
tanned hy subscribers who pay an
annual foe Of 90 marks 50 30. which
entities thom to one square meter OF
floor space. Til. sample warehouse. dis
tributes members catalogues and the
members may confer ~ any time with
the managing director and his stin of
experts regarding "Np"rt u'1'hI'Ius Tn,
sample house publishes IT'S own ,tti-
7 lugu", IN which moWh'r~ get lr'D space
rh" samples arc pro, .ct"d from cNtu-
nation 10y romp' titors, c,'u members or
the association. \ commission ls
cha rG"d on business transacted. ON IN,
this association booLel i.soo orders for
its members.
The SAXON manufacturer. have ,u ~
hership VI i.l0o. u r@.csiyes "a subsidy
from tho Saxon government II fur
nishes lists 81 foreign trade opportuu-
ties to its mcmherS. recommends DO
Slrablc representative, IN any por "i
the world, maintains = credit and collcc-
ton bureau, notifies is members Of
damages IN tariffs aud similar tonic, oI
interest to exporters and provides tray
/ cling salesman who undertake to repre-
sent several members Of non-comptting
lines on 'rHde seeking expeditions to al.
parts NJ the world This association
also d sirlhUt"s |'dtal0g ucS n us Nom
l. r.. cha ggiug ouly The pu-ftEc tN-
/ pended, Sample houses arc maintained
a. Dresden ami lripzlg. y collection ~
samples of foreign raw materials. Is
maintained. \ lirgr translation bureau
is y part Of its equipment.
special Exhibits Of samples.