The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1917-02-15
Money Talks
TO
Fruit Growers
BY
Northwestern Fruit Exchange
No. z
Foreign Sales Service
TO FRUIT GROWERS: /:

The EXCHANGE has never been a
hand to take things for granted or to
base its actions ON mere theories. It
believes that Judgment not based on
knowledge and accurate information is
worthless, and on that principle, nev-
er adopts policy until it has first con-
Quoted careful inquiries into every
phase Of the matter to be determined.
There is no business in the world in
which practical experience, skill and
accuracy is more vitally necessary, or
in which theories are so dangerous as
the perishable fruit business. Mis-
takes are always costly: they are gen.
orally irretrievable and so the need for
sound conservative judgment is very
great. Especially is this true in deal
ing with the foreign market situation.
The export business is full of pitfalls
for the unwary or inexperienced. 1t
bristles with technicalities and the
amateur is certain to come to grief un.
less he proceeds with utmost caution.
The successful execution of export bus.
mess in the fruit trade requires facili-
ties and talent of the highest character
There must be first class facilities at
American seaboard where the fruit is
trans-shipped. Rigid inspection, with
drawal Of unsuitable or damaged par
cells, engagement of cargo space in ad-
vance, superintendent of transfer
from car to lighter and from lighter to
ship, of the proper stowage of the
fruit, seeing that the fruit is slowed
away in airy, well-ventilated sections
of the hold in case of ventilated stow
age, execution Of clearance papers,
consular invoices, customs documents,
ETC., these are some of the require
ments of the service on THIS side.
Then, when the fruit arrives at for
eign destinations there must be similar
facilities to look after the proper dis
charge of the cargo and the deliveries
to the buyers. The offices of the EX.
CHANGE at New York and Boston
were organized with reference to these
requirements and the New York office
has special foreign department which
has become very expert in all these
matters. Then, of course, comes the
matter of first class representation in
the foreign markets themselves. This
is not easy to secure. In the first
place, all foreign countries, especially
Europe, are overrun with agents and
brokers, many of them irresponsible.
All of them are eager for business
and many are able to put up very
plausible arguments. 1t occurred to
the EXCHANGE that it would be
highly dangerous to undertake any ex-
tensive operations in the export trade
until it had first made a first-hand
study of the conditions on the ground.
Accordingly, the EXCHANGE sent me
to Europe in the spring of 1912 to con-
duct thorough investigation and to
take su-h steps as might be necessary
to afford the EXCHANGES members
the utmost measure of service ana pro-
lection.
First, | studied the situation in
GREAT BRITAIN. After canvassing
it Thoroughly, went over to the Conti-
nent, and made a thorough study of
those markets, particularly GER
MANY. / studied the conditions in
Bremen and Hamburg, the ports of
entry and then covered the interior
markets, travelling to Essen, Cologne,
Frankfort, Mainz, Mannheim, Wies-
baden, Leipsig, Berlin and large
number of other cities.
AS a result of this investigation ]
decided that the only really safe and
satisfactory system would be for the
ORTHW ESTERN FRUIT EX-
CHANGE to have branch Office of its
own in EUROPE, and so we opened
our office in LONDON in July, 1912.
This Office was placed in charge of +.
S. A. MAUDE, and was located in the
Country Life Building, II to q Tav-
istock St, W. C.-right in the heart of
the Covent Garden market district.
We were extremely fortunate in our
selection of the Manager. Mr.. Maude
is an Englishman by birth, and there
fore entirely at home in dealing with
the British trade, but he had the great
additional advantage of many years of
residence in America, and training in
the fruit business on this side. He was
trained by the CALIFORNIA FRUIT
GROWERS EXCHANGE, and had
successfully filled the position of man.
ager of various of their United States
branches, working his way up in their
sevice to the very important executive
position of General Eastern Agent at
Chicago. He left that position volun-
tarily to return to England and for
several years was General European
Agent of the CALIFORNIA EX-
CHANGE. So, you see he had just ex-
actly the right training and experience
to make a success of our work, and
during the years that he managed our
business in Europe, has more than
L. k.r