Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-05-30
1I|A|IN'S CONVENTION
LURES MANUFACTURERS
FROM ALL OVER NATION
Men With Eye to Extension of
Business Will Examine Trade
Opportunities Through Com
merciaI Museum
TO USE FOREIGN BUREAU

Hundreds Of manufacturers from all sec.
tions of the United States, who have an eye
20 worid-trade, win attend the big Admenis
convention in this city next month Many Of
these manufacturers see In the Philadelphia
convention a golden opportunity for learn
ing how 70 gain secure foothold IN foreign
markets.
For several years the foreign trade
bureau Of the Philadeiphia Commercial
Museum has served AZ an expert department
70 manufacturers from Maine TO Texas. and
from Florida 10 Washington Since the be.
ginning Of the European war the bureau
has tripied It's activities in the interests
Of fostering the foreign trade Of the United
States.
In explaining the workings Of the bureau
IN the interest OF foreign trade, an official
Of the bureau said today:
FOR instance, a manufacturer of shoes
IN a Massachusetts, town has developed his
plant TO the point where It's capacity has
outrun normal domestic demands. or has
decided 10 broaden his sales territory with
a view to stabiizlng his sales from year
20 year. He has read much about Latin
America and II occurs 90 him that II would
be the section In which TO make begin.
ming. Picking out the country In Latin
America where the mode OF dress ap-
proaches closely the standard at home. he
concentrates attention for the time being
on Argentina In due course OF time
letter Is sent to the foreign trade bureau
asking what the market is for shoes In
Argentina, and II he can sell his product
there. Upon receipt OF the inquiry one OF
the trained stan OF the foreign bureau OBJ
tains the exact figures Of the boot and
shoe Importation. reply is sent to the
manufacturer, advising that last year there
was imported In Argentina so many thous-
and pairs Of shoes by British, American
French and German manufacturers. giving
the number Of pairs and value OF the Inn
portation from each.
Can the inquirer sell his particular shoe
in that market7 Frankly the foreign
trade bureau cannot tell ofthand. IL can
say, however, that other American makers
of similar shoes are. or are not selling their
wares there. with the presumption that he
can or cannot do the same.
COMPLETE COMMERCIAL LIBRARY.
Eat this point mention should be made of
the library of the Philadelphia Commercial
Museum. This library is probably the most
complete strictly commercial library In
the world. On its shelves are the official
publications Of every Government that is
sues commercial and financial documents; !;
and supplementing these are books and
periodicals OF commerce, transportation,
banking and travel, issued by semipublic
organizations and private publishers This
library Is invaluable to members OF tho
stan of the foreign trade bureau and to
manufacturers and business men generally.
~Going back to the Massachusetts, shoe
manufacturer we will assume that he de-
cides to give the Argentine market a trial.
He decides to inaugurnte his campaign by
making known his firm and products 10
the retail trade. He asks for a list of re-
tail shoe dealers in the larger cities of Ar
gentina. The member of the stan TO whom
this letter is turned over for attention OBJ
tains lists, checks them up with data in
the bureaus private files, has the lists
copied and sent to the manufacturer II
may be noted that the collection OF direc-
tories from which the lists are made UP, in
all upwards of 500 Volumes is one OF the
most important in the United States, and is
kept up to date, the various foreign pub
fishers having standing orders to supply
new editions as soon as issued.
"OF II may be that the manufacturer be-
lieves is better policy first to get in touch
with the importing and wholesale houses.
In that case the member of the stan who
has the inquiry I'm charge goes to the pri-
vate commercial records Of the bureau and
prepares q list Of such firms, These records
contain data on prominent merchants in all
and addresses but the lines they handle.
their foreign connections. their references
and statements of their financial standing
and moral intsgrity.
with the thought Of letter writing comes
the question Of language. Again the facilI-
ties Of the foreign trade bureau are at the
service OF the manufacturer The bureau
mairtains a well-equipped translation de-
partment, able to handle any commercial
language, the employees of which are not
mere lirguists. but men who know the Ian
suage and who know commerce, its usages
and terms"