The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1916-05-05

and prices for iodine. The German government promotes combination among German potash producers, with a government board to deter mine output for domestic and export trade, and the law prohibits sales abroad below the prices fixed for do- nestle business. We, on the contrary, because our industrial organization is unsuited to international commerce, are favoring foreign above home con sunners, and without present gain are wasting the priceless heritage of fu- ture generations. The mere state ment of these conditions should be sufficient argument for their correc- ton.
 Cooperation Needed In American
 Foreign Trade
 If Americans are to enter the mar kets of the world on equal terms with their organized competitors and their organized customers, if they are to expand the foreign trade of the Unit ed States as they should, and if our small producers and manufacturers are. to obtain their rightfu1 share of foreign business on profitable terms, they must be free to unite their, eff forts. We are in danger of being nisled into over-confidence and base less self assurance by the imposing totals of our present abnormal for eign trade. A great part of our pres
 
 will end with peace. Another part is enforced buying by parties cut off from former sources of supply, and unfortunately much of this business is being done on terms and by methods that are alternating the purchasers and that insure the diversion of their trade to other countries at the earliest opportunity. Moreover, the end of the war will doubtless see vigorous efforts by Europeans to recapture lost trade. Therefore, earnest thought should be given to measures TOT the improvement of our foreign business.
 Our surplus food-stuffs and raw materials will sell themselves at some price, but to avoid needless ex- pense in distribution, to meet formid-= able foreign buying organizations, to insure reasonable export prices, and to prevent the profitless exhaustion of our natural resources, cooperation among American producers is impera- tive.
 In the sale of our factory products, co-operation is equally necessary Such goods must be advertised, den- onstrated and market created among alien peoples, often in the face of determined and destructive competition from great combinations of foreign manufacturers. But if our development of the fnanc- ing of foreign enterprises, can more. T6aQ11ys e9XL01Q CfoOlL. to s1OI0ASh toners, and can compete more suc- cessfully with foreign syndicates and cartels Precisely such action by our 1nanufacturers is, therefore, one of the first requisites for the successful growth of ouf industries
 Prevent Danger of Misuse of Cooper
 atfve Export Organizations
 < Two chief dangers from. co-opera-. tive export organizations of Amer1- can manufacturers and producers are They may be used to ex- pIoit the home market and they may be used unfairly against individual American exporters in foreign trade. The dangers in cooperative action must be faced frankly and provided against fully.
 % The commission is confident that this can be done without sacrificing the essential advantages of joint ac- fion and without altering the policy of the anti-trust1awS or interfering with their reinforcement. Thus spe-I cific extension of the law prohibiting unfair methods of competition to ex- port trade and requirement of full re- ports to the Federal Trade Comm1s- sion from cooperative export orga- nizations will protect. the .1nd1V1dual exporter, while the enforcement or the antitrust laws will prevent the use of such organizations to effect re- 7 ; domestic market.
 4 The commission does not believe that Congress intended by the anu trust laws to prevent Aner1cans from cooperating in export trade Tor the purpose of competing effectively with foreigners, where such co-oper-# ation does not restrain trade within the United States and where no at tenapt is made to hinder American competitors from securing their due share of the trade. It is not reason-# able to suppose that Congress meant to obstruct the development of our foreign commerce by forbidding the 11se in export trade, of methods or prganfzation which do not operate to the prejudice of the American pub lie, are lawful in the countries where the trade is to be carried on, and are necessary if Americans are to meet competitors there on equal terms. DecIaratory Legislation Recommended
 By it's Investigation the commits sion, however, has established the fact that doubt as to the application of the antitrust laws to export trade now prevents concerted action by American business men in export trade, even among producers of non goods. In view or this IacL a1d of the conviction that co-opera- ton should be encouraged in export trade among competitors as well as on-conpetitors, the commission re- spectfuIly recommends the enactment of declaratory and permissiye 1eg1sla- ton to remove this doubt.
 The commission feels that it would fail of it's duty if it did not urge the pressing need of such action inmedi- ately If American business men are to make the most of the great op- portunities now before them, are to build securely in foreign trade, and are to avoid disaster in the shock of the stern and determined competition that will doubtless follow the war, they must at once perfect the orga- demanded by the conditions of international trade.
 Respectfully submitted.