The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1917-03-26
HOW TRADE or
RUSSIANS MAY
BEENC0URACE:D
Suggestions Made Here by
Head of Industrial Com
mission to France

States hope to establish close COM
rle-cial connections with Russia they
must extend every effort to cooper
ate with, and not to exploit, the COM
nercial interest; of that country, &C.
cording to w. w. Nichols, who was
chairman of the American Industrial
Commission to France in 1916. Mr..
Nichols sail he believed that trade
commission composed CT r. u esent 1 :
tive American business men similar to
the corln ission to France could best
accomplish this purpose. If we are
to cement tsade re'r ions, he declared,
we must he just as large inc porters as
exporters: it must be an exchange. of
comm odities, not simply selling for
gold.
The conditions which such a COM
mission would meet, in Russia would
be vastly different from those encoun-
tered in France, he said, owing to diff
forences in governments. Til3 multi
tudinous elements which would enter
into the task of establishing close
commercial relations between this
country AID Russia must be taken in
to consideration. The great, untutor-
ed population. the wonderful re-
sources, the vast extent of territory,
and the meagre knowledge which
business men in this country have of
Russia-all must be considered
eff we are to take ivantage of the
commercial opportunities offered by
the new Russia we must get togerk-
err" declared Mr.. Nichols. "You can
not do business long and successful
ly with a man by writing him letters.
You must see thing: through his eyes
and he must see them through yours;
you must convince him that you are
ready Old anxious 10 cooperate with
him sri are not trying to exploit him
or his country. American business
men n: ct broaden their views.
Nation Must Reach Out
"Heretofore, the development Of the
natural resources of our country have
required our attention to such a de-
gree that we have confined our ener-
Fies to LEGAL trade. Now, our facili-
ties have reached the stage where we
must reach out We have certain
comm oddities which the great coun-
tries of Europe not only want but
need. They, in turn, have commodi-
ties and raw materials which we
1--WE cannot hope to do our bust
ness always on a cash basis. T. must
be an exchange Of commodities. No
country would or could stand long
for any other arrangement. If we are
willing to cooperate, to help the other
fellow, to consider his interests as we'll
as our own, we can build up trade
that will cement our relations as moth
ing else can"
Mr.. Nichols said he had been i'm
pressed by the wa rn1 welcome accord
ed to the American Industrial Com
mission to France just as soon as the
1rembers had made it plain that they
had come to plead for cooperation
with French merchants. Close init
mate relations are absolutely neces
sary, he said, if we are to solve the
problems which confront us at every
turn in international trade. Already
MIR. Nichols said, he is receiving evil
dence of the benefits desired ny Am
erican business through the visit Of
| a commission to France.
1.-THE French commercial organiza-
tons are willing and anxious to CO.
operate with us in every way" he
added '"The same thing would be
| true of Russia and it is just as i'm
portant and probably more SO that q
trade commission should visit Russia.
We must exchange views and get in
touch with the commercial problems
and possibilities of that great coun-
| try. AS individual concern can do
only a small part Of the work; COM
| mission composed Of men engaged in
many lines can cover the ground
| thoroughly; find out the needs Of the
country and discover in what way we
can cooperate and recilrocate. In
other words, they can look at condi-
tons through Russian eyes and can
present the American merchants eide
| in an American light.
Russia May Need Machinery
1--WE are experts in labor-saving
machinery. Russia may need such
machinery But we must study con-
ditions in that country; acquaint our
selves with their method Of doing
business. If we want lasting trade
with Russia we must be careful not
to exploit that country; we must be
willing to consider their interests as
well as our own. It is on such basis
| that peaceful commercial relations
are built up and MISUNDERSTANDING
| averted.
| 5"Of course, the present time would
| be inopportuf.e to send commission
| tc Russia. They are too busy there
working out great national problems
which are all-important to the people
Of the country at the present time
no one can say how soon the oppor-
tunity will present itself, but we
should be ready for it when it does
| come.
| GAS national government influences
national thought, which affects bust
| ness and other conduct, the difference
in the governments of the two coun-
tres will make the task more diff
cult than that which, confronted us in
; France, where many Of our national
ideas are similar. 1t is for this rea-
son that we should study the elements
which will enter into trade relations
between the two countries. I believe
that a trade commission to Russia
would do more than anything else to
bring our commercial interests in
close contact. 1t would help to solve
a great problem in an amicable, adj
vantageous way"
Mr.. Nichols thinks that in it's sue
cess the revolution in Russia is one
of the most marvellous happenings Of
| the age Beside it, he said, Brazils
Eoloodless revolution pales to insignif-
| canoe.