Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-03-18
facilities heretofore afforded Americans
| by the European banks will be impaired.

facilities heretofore afforded Americans
| by the European banks will be impaired.
-
! The national finances of the various
European countries are an important ele-
ment in the
Important Element present ira d e
situation, which
| in Trade Situation. seems to have
been generally overlooked. As stated in
| a former article, Latin America has felt
the trade depression which has been
prevalent all over the world. Further
more, the Latin American republics,
generally speaking. are just recovering
from a period Of national extravaganza.
The funds which have been supplied by
Europe so bountifully in the past have
been cut off. and all of these nations are
looking confidently to Uncle Sam to lend
them the money they will need in the
immediate future.
The most important fact in connection
with this situation, from an industrial
point Of view. is that those Latin Ameri-
can countries which produce foodstuffs
| of the most staple sort will be the first
/ to recover from commercial depression.
Those that depend upon the production
| of minerals for a place in the world
! commerce will necessarily experience a
+: great deal more difficulty. for the metal
! Industries in general require peace for
their fullest Development.
| Argentine is an excellent example OF a
! food-producing South American state
which has tremendous recupcrative pow
| ers. The soil IN the Argentine is deep
and rich. the land is level. and only
| about one-fou-th Of the available wheat
| area is now planted. With the whole
| world crying for bread at exorbitant
| prices. Argentine can hardly fail to at.
tain prosperity. She will have five and
quarter million bushels of wheat to
export this year. and when that wheat
| crop has been marketed Argentine will
certainly have money to spend.
For Bolivia on the other hand. depend
ing largely upon her tin to bring wealth
into the country, the
Tin and Nitrates situation is more
Chief Products. also largely min
ing country, but her nitrates ought to
command a good market in the imne-
date future. For one thing. nitrates
are the basis many explosives. and.
therefore, greatly needed in Europe, and
for another. nitrate is fertilizing ma
aterial which can be used to excellent
advantage in the United States.
In general, the idea that we ought now
to buy the products of Latin America
in larger quantities is being over-em-
phaSiZed. We are still more an agri
cultural than - manufacturing nation;
we produce too much Of the same COM
modities that the Latin American coun-
tries do. But nitrateS are one Latin
American product that could very profit
ably be more widely used in this coun-
try.
AS the Latin American countries are
now all experiencing a financial strin-
gency, so what the Latin American farm
er needs is money to move his crops. And
this brings US to the much-mooted ques-
ton of credit in Latin American trade.
There seems to be little doubt but what
it is necessary to grant long credits in
many branches Of trade In the southern
republics, and especially at this time. it
Is being authoritatively reported that In
some lines a great many sales may be
made upon credit Of from six months to