Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1916-07-01

the citizens, ofnc1al ana private, nave
learned to distinguish them from the I'M
desirables.''
Of this statement beyond question. In
that year the total pan-American trade
of the United States. including exports
and imports. was valued approximately
at $S10,000.000; the total export and
import trade of Great Britain with
mated s640.ooo.O0o, which Is a total of
$4,000. 900 less than that of the
United States. Germany's figures were
$40. 0OO, 900. which amounts barely to
one-half the total trade of the United
States.
Sales Exceed Those of Any Rival.
For the first time, moreover. in the
history of Latin American commerce.
the United States actually sold in ex-
ports to the twenty Latin American
countries more than did any of it's for
eign rivals. for it just nosed out Great
Britain with total export trade valued
at approximately s325.O00.000. The
common idea that the United States is
lean trade is due to the conditions ex-
listing in a few of the countries of
South America proper and not from a
study of the whole field From present
lnOlCatlOnS the Cnlte0 states Is rapidly
gaining on it's rivals in those few
countries where heretofore it has been
led by them. and, if the COMMERCIAL
and financial interests of the United
States take full. advantage of war con-
ditions, there is no reason why the
United States should. not in a few years
have larger export and import trade
with every Latin American country
than has any other nation. 1t would
not be surprising If the figures for the
6Cro toh l..
ready. would show that the total COM
merce of the United States with all
Latin America had reached the vast
and unprecedented total of $500. 0O0. 900
American countries the United States
was leader in both export and i'm
port trade over every other country
Two great steps forward in practical
pan-Amerfcanism have recently been
taken in the form OF the pan-American
financial conferences, the first being
held in Washington in May, 1915, and
the second at Buenos Aires. Argentina
in April Of this year. with its resulting
international high commission, and the
second Pan-American Scientific Con-
gress held in Washington during De-
cember and January. 1855. The work
OF the former has been most useful
along material lines and the latter
along scientific and educational effort
Undoubtedly the commercial and finan-
cial relations Of all the American re-
publics will receive a direct impetus
from the former. while the scientific
and educational relations will be dis
tinctly bettered by the latter The COM
ment of the Latin American press is
evidence of the practical value Of both
these conferences.
Before closing this brief statement,
which. from lack of space. ornits many
| important considerations. including the
value of travel and trade visits. the send
ing Of qualified representatives. advertis-
ing in Latin American newspapers. the
| distribution of properly phrased cata-
| logues. reliable packing. adaptation of
provement of conditions for travelling
statesmen. the enactment of uniform laws
| covering copyrights. trade marks, consular
! invoices: etc. reciprocal tariff arrange
ments, familiarity with the history, geog-
raphy and customs Of the country con-
! cerned. and the study of the Spanish and
Portuguese languages. It Is fitting that a
reference should be made to the extraor-
binary work being done by the Pan-Amer-
| lean Union. as evidence of the growth of
widespread interest in everything that
has to do with relations between the
United States and it's sister republics. The
| Pan-American Union stands today as the
foremost international organization Of the
world. devoted to the development of
| ing. intercourse and peace in large
| group of nations. 1t is the official Office
| Of all America. maintained by the joint
contributions Of the twenty-one American
4 u
made up Of their ambassadors and minis
! ters and the Secretary of State of the
United States, and administered by a
director general chosen by that board and
who fs therefore. an international officer
Rated Great International Bureau.
! THE Pan-American Union il. more
over. a great international bureau of
information. difrusing all over the
| the American republics. It's CORE
| spondence averages several hundred
| letters a day. while the total pieces Of
| mail received and sent out each day
averages over fifteen hundred The de-
| mand for its monthly bulletin. an
Illustrated magazine Of pan-American
progress printed in English. Spanish.
| Portuguese and French. is greater than
the supply. The office prepares and
| publishes special descriptive pamphlets
| on each one of the American republics
! and numerous reports on every phase
| Of their development: Its library con-
tains over thirty thousand volumes
formation. and this is indexed with
over 10000 cards 1t has a collection
Of nearly 10000 photographs. illustrat-
ing every country. city and town Of
of its reading room nearly all the mag
| azines and newspapers OF Latin Amer
| lea. and its collection of maps is the
largest Of its kind In this country. The
Pan-American building. the home of
the organization, representing an in
| vestment of $1.100.000. has been de-
| scribed by the greatest living French
| architect as combining beauty and
usefulness more than any other public
building in Washington 1t lie visited
each day by sightseers averaging in
number between 500 and 1000, not to
| speak of many who come on regular
| business. The work of the Pan-Amer-
lean Union and the usefulness of its
building are. in short, absolute evil
dence Of the practical growth of pan
| .tmericanism and of the interest in Its
! future development"