The Washington herald., 1917-09-19

ufacturers. Now Brazil is compelled
to come TO the United States for these
commodities and the belief is, that
having once established this trade.
We shall be able under wise fostering
of it to maintain it after the European
war is ended.
Other South American countries are
now represented in the American mar
kets by men who are seeking to buy
all kinds of commodities. AS an H.
lustration there was received this
morning from a representative of Peru
an order for the purchase of five thou
sand gross of bottles of peculiar
make. Always before the European
war Peru bought this commodity in
Bohemia. Now that It has been shown
that American industry can furnish
these articles equally good in quality
with the Bohemian ware and at a
reasonable price the chances are that
this trade will remain with us after
the war is ended.
The United States is importing COM
, modities in vast amounts from South
American countries and in this way
payments to a considerable extent will
be made for the products the South
American nations buy in the United
States. Brazil. for instance, is ex-
porting heavily to this country cof-
fee, hides, honey and other products,
but she has never bought of Amer
| lean producers as she is now buy
ing. Heretofore the balance of trade
between the United States and Brazil
has been greatly in favor of Brazil
on account of our heavy imports Of
coffee.
Prior to 1914 there were only spas
modie and not very energetic attempts
to secure South American trade. That
trade was controlled by England and
Germany. The corporations which
manufacture electric apparatus did
successfully enter the field. We were
able to send railway equipment in con-
siderable amounts and the United
States Steel Corporation was trying
to expand markets in South America
for its products. But on the whole
American industry did not seek with
energy the South American markets,
although 1t was told by men of high
authority that South America and
Canada should be our great foreign
markets. James Stillman, ten years
ago. after a careful study of condi-
tions in South America, spoke with
enthusiasm about the wonderful, but
he feared neglected, opportunities
South America offered for our Ameri-
can industries. greater. he thought.
than any offered by Europe or even
the Far East.
About year ago our industrial
leaders began to open their eyes
to the great opportunity which was
offered to them by the South Amer
ican nations. The nations of that
continent were not seeking war
munitions but instead were in great
need of commodities of peaceful
pursuits of the kind which former
ly were bought in Great Britain.
and in Europe. Nowhere else could
they go for these much-needed ar
ticles except to the United States
and our industrial leaders began to
realize that a strong demand had
come for South America for prod
ucts other than those needed for
carrying on the war. Now these
leaders are thoroughly awake to the
opportunity. believing that South
America must come to the United
States for almost all of the COM
modities she needs and will con-
tinue to come here after the war is
ended If the trade relations are
satisfactorily maintained. We should
be exporting to South America in
the aggregate money value of hun
dreds of millions and of course will
greatly increase our imports, espe-
cially from Brazil. Argentina. Chile
and Colombia.