Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1917-06-17
many EXHIBITS Of merit
ATLYON SAMPLE FAIR
Exposition in French City Where
o. S. Consul Displayed "Ameri-
can Catalogues"

PARIS. France. June THE Lyon
sample fair was a worthwhile e1hioi-
Non this YEAR. and reflected great creoit
Fostered by the French goVerhihsi.
which gave it a recognition as tne onis
official fair Of France, 1t is peg IN ~ 8
to bloom in it's aspirations 70 pe ns
Eurone The fair, it should be notea.
is not what is generally termed Iair
in the United States 1t Is NOT
In the sense that it is an e1h!oi'io ~
tract the public generally. LIS Is .r ~
reality. a fair of samples here are
gathered late improvements in matters
of production, as well as the p iou ~.
themselves, and the 1alr Is and neo-
Nc directiv interested in the sale OF
goods.
Initial Fair in 1910.
I saw the initial fair in 1910, ana
syen then. under the greatest Of handi-
cans. il gave great promise. This year.
with the obstacles multiplied, there
were three times as many eAnioi,otS 90
there were in 1916, and the actuai o oa aon
ness transacted approached S5o,ooo,ooo.
The perils of the sea ana tne seiIo s
shortage of coal multiplied the hanoi-
caps a hundredfold. and yet the lar
of 1917 was great success.
sample fair at Lyon 1t is well to re.
member that Lyon, the second CITY OF
France in point of Importance, Is nrst
commercially. Evidence is not want
ing that this commercial superior ia
will be increased after the war. ASIDE
from the fact that it claims 10 De tne
greatest silk center of the world, II
Is the most important Tor the tihSei
Industry, the automobile trade ana VIII.
without question. be an important
cap-ar for the production of dyeStunS.
Methods of Doing Business.
One must live in Lyon a short time
in order to properly appreciate the
Lyounaise. You cannot get their view
point in day any more than you can
gain their condolences IN a montn.
Their methods of doing business are
different perhaps from any other city
In France They are proud. honest
and shrewd. Shrewd in the sense that
even with their Anticipated methods OF
doing business they drive a good bar
gain. and, generally speaking, are
thoroughly reliable.
Walking along the great quay, near
the center of the fair, I was attracted
to a large double booth which adver-
logues." This interested me extremely,
and when I learned from the signs that
It was the American consular exhibit
of American catalogues, conducted by
sion of the consular service, my inter-
est became much greater. I have the
keenest interest in our consular serv-
ice and have followed its development
from the happy harbor of political
derelicts to the high-class, business or
ganzation of the present day. Here
was something new in consular activ-
ity and l went into the general subject
most thoroughly. I wanted to know
all about it: what its objects were and
ha r-ac 70
When / completed my investigation
/ congratulated the consul upon this
magnificent initiative. and promptly
wrote the Department Of State In COM
mendation. 1t seems when the prob
able advantages of an American cata-
logue exhibit at this fair was brought
to the attention of the director of the
consular service he secured from the
Department of State a small appropri-
alton for the rental and equipment Of
the booth, and the expense has demon
strated the wisdom of 1t all. This ex-
hfbit was an enormous success, and the
consular service is entitled to a vote
Of thanks from the business men Of
the United States.
System in Arrangement.
AS I entered the door of the consular
booth | faced a large collection of
American catalogues systematically ar
ranged on display shelves all around
INC pooiH- 1HeSe were divided accord
Ing to subject, and the booth was
crowded with interested business men
examining them, or else getting in
formation about American trade. Old
nne portrait of our President prom
inently displayed between the flags Of
the United States and France.
among the employees dhere were sew
officer who spoke English perfectly
well. and who proved to be one of the
most useful of the clerks. His'presence
appealed considerably to the French
merchants. and / heard the consul con-
graduated many times because Of this
delicate recognition.
There was a card index system as
near perfection as l ever saw one, and
IN America. who represented an i'm
poEtant line of shoes. The system which
prevailed was interesting and thorough.
This is an example.
A merchant from southern France in
answer to an inquiry said he was con-
tempIating the erection of large fac
tory Tor the manufacture of knitted
goods. and would like to be put in
machines. A trade opportunity was
made out for him. and he will be put
In communication with the manufac-
turers of textile machinery through the
medium of the daily commerce reports,
articles for which are furnished by
American consuls throughout the
world.
Another Trade Opportunity.
But that was not sufficient for the
consul. The man was interested i'm
mediately in construction materials for
the factory, and another trade oppor-
tunity was made for that. This was
followed by another trade inquiry for
American cotton and cotton threads.
These so-called trade opportunities are
great helpers for American trade The
inquirer must state what kind of goods
be wants. how he prefers to pay for
them. what his bank references are and
where he prefers TO have them landed
SO that when these trade inquiries
reach the American manufacturer in
terested in the articles desired he has
Il composite picture of what his pros
financial status is: in fact he has sur
hcfent Information upon which to open
up a correspondence.
And. speaking OF correspondence our
manufacturers should see to IL (pro-
vfded they are interested in foreign
trade) that their correspondence is
conducted in the language of the coun-
try and that weights and measures be
expressed in metric terms.
Matter of Special Interest.
1t was most interesting to follow the
methods employed by the United States
consul In getting at all the facts upon
which to base a trade opportunity and
when he had concluded / was more
than ever impressed with the efficiency
of the new consular service. And | felt
m ne