New-York tribune., 1917-12-24
Ultimate Victory Supplants
the Idea of Present
Profits
May Retain Gains
Great Problem Confronting
Nation Explained by Head
of Foreign Bureau

"The event of transeending impor-
tance to the foreign trade Of the coun-
try during 1917 was the entrance of the
United States into the war; declares
Burwcll s. Cutler in his first annual
report as chief Of the Bureau of For
eign and Domestic Commerce OF the
Department of Commerce.
From the beginning of the war TO
the time of our entrance into II, con-
tinues Mr.. Cutler. 'the business Of the
American manufacturer and exporter
was to make the most Of new oppor-
tunites in the markets Of non-be!llg-
erent countries, TO take wise and need
ful steps in preparation for trade after
the war and to sell munitions and sup
plies to the belligerents.
"These were legitimate activities.
They were vital 10 the industrial life
of the nation. But when we entered
the war the perspective changed. Trade
with our war associates assumed a new,
a different, a much greater significance
in our eyes. 1t became primarily
means of winning the war rather than
Of winning profits. IL became link
between the greatest storehouse IN the
world and the European nations with
whom we had cast our lot in the world
struggle.
L. s. Attitude Changed
"Our attitude toward the markets in
-belligerent countries has also
changed as matter of course. Trade
with them must now be conducted with
a careful and patriotic Difference TO the
successful prosecution o. the war.
Preparations that we make to hold cur
place in those markets and 20 expand
cur opportunities must be made Tor the
time being with strict reference 10 poll
ces which govern our political rela-
tions. However, it is confidently ex-
pected that our trade with South
America. the Far East, South Africa
and with Australia will not be too seri-
ously interfered with, and that we may
reap in the future the benefits of hay-
ing cultivated those markets so assid-
uously and intelligently during the last
few years.
Important as it is that we hold our
own advantage IN these and other mar
kets, we must rot lose sight OF the
fact that all such advantages are likely
TO disappear if we do not come out Of
the war victoriously."
The repor: reviews in an exhaustive
manner the foreign trade of the coun-
try during the fiscal year ended June
90. 1917, which it refers to as "our
greatest year in foreign trade" The
statistics are arranged TO show the
growth of trade month by month since
1913, 50 that the effect Of the war may
be easily traced.
Considerable space is given to the
unusual activities of the bureau during
the year that resulted from the en-
trance of the United States into the
war. these activities including the OIL
ganization of a staff for licensing eX-
ports, work in connection with the tin
plate conservation campaign, the co.,
lection of information concerning for
eign embargo legislation. the facilita-
ton of imports of raw materials from
Russia, the protection of American
trademarks in foreign countries, and
numerous others, all of which were
carried on b. the regular bureau staf,
cXcept the export license work. for
which volunteer work was accepted
from the outside.
Special Agents Utilized
Attention is called to the increased
extent to which foreign markets have
keen studied through the agency OF
travelling special agents. At the be-
ginning Of the fiscal year there were
thirteen such agents in the employ OF
the bureau, while at the close OF the
wear this staff Lad been doubled. The
Information collected by these agents
helns American manufacturers to eN-
tend their trade now and is also aimed
TO help them prepare for trade after
the war
Before entering the bureau Mr.
Cutler was president OF large manu-
featuring concern, fact that lends
interest TO the following estimate of
the bureaus service to the American
manufacturer.
"As q practical manufacturer and eX-
porter, ] entertained to a mild extent
an instructive skepticism regarding the
efficiency in organization and produc-
tive capacity Of a government bureau
as compared with the highly organized
forces characteristic of large private
enterprises, for this is a feeling all too
common among business men. | find
that a misapprehension of the value of
the bureau is based on a typical igno
rance Of the bureaus current activities.
Please let me emphasize the conviction
that the Bureau of Foreign and Do
nestle Commerce is a genuinely pro-
ducing agency, we'll organized and cal
culated TO assist our manufacturers and
merchants in ways emnently useful"