El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1918-11-29

A MERIcANS have grip on world trade now and viii
n hold it if they Try but not if they follow the old
less, haphazard methods involving neglect of foreign
kes ignorance Of languages uHwngness to cater to for
egE fashions, to pack goods their customers wished
TO extend them credit terms favorable merchants
n Germany, England and other countries have done
Uuwilngness to comply with foreign preferences has
been Of the American manufacturers worst handcaps
in the past He has wanted to sell to Mexico South
America goods made up according to American ideas ex-
ousivey; for instance shoes of certain style whereas
the Latin taste preferred gnOther style He has insisted
packing goods in the American way though his foreign
customers may have found through experience that that
way unSuted to shipments long distances by
water and rail- and that the goods arriving dam
aged condition he has been Unwilling to grant extended
credits TO adopt the metric system though far distant
customers have been obliged to long time credits and
systems Of weights and measures IS confusing to
them the metric system is to most of These
ehandsng faults do not apply to all American exporters
Of course but TO enough of them that the complaint has
oeeR MADE general Exporters OF other countries realizing
that the tst principle Of merchandising to please the
customer have gone to great lengths to their
eign trade and have succeeded.
That is they did succeed before interviewed to
throw trade Americas way. In the years Of American
neutrality, had nearly clear field with foreign
nerce and even after we entered the able
much of the vast volume of foreign trade which
to because there other of supply
American goods being sold in markets never
fore reached It remains to be whether having OBJ
tanned long lead all other countries hold this
foreign market.
The manufacturers of the United States have every
thing to ther advantage IN cultivatng the foreign market
lea They have the start which IS important They have
the machinery and the material the transperta
ton facilities The United States is coming out Of the
with the greatest merchant of all time Lack
OF that merchant marine Of the great handcaps of
the before the period The American government
could lot be brought to push through merchant ship
building program Ships available in certain
number and Of them will be available they
leased from the duty Of Transporting supplies to
Europe. There viii be no lack Of shipping facilities
But because Americans have these advantages it IS not
TO be assumed that the American manufacturer and
porter feel from competition from other
tres England viii change from to a peace basis
faster than the United States because England
pee program for the change all ready to put into opera
ton Immediately. We had not There IS a grand
scramble in the United States the part of factories
which have been making materials and want to
get peace time production. Many Of them lack the
chinery and bidding against each other TO get IL
Plants manufacturing this machinery are swamped with
orders and VIII be for months to come possibly for year
OF more
and the United States does not have all the ships in
the world England also has big merchant marine avail
able transporting goods to foreign markets. while Ger
many, though off than any of the allied countries
with respect to manufactures has large quantity of
stored up goods which could be exported after 1914
which win be exchanged abroad for those things which
Germany urgently requires Most of Germany merchant
marine in allied hands, but the proposal is to
return It under stipulation that Germanys shpyards be
devoted building ships for the allies to replace tonnage
lost through submarine depredatons Therefore Germany
VIII have ships for trade export purposes.
Japan France and Italy viii also reach out for foreign
markets They deserve 70 have their share Of world trade
as does England also, and they viii get than fair
unless American exporters keep after their foreign
with the they displayed in regard to
the domestic market
What American manufacturers doing an export business
must DO is to cultivate the foreign trade. This has local
application regards FL Pasoans doing business In Mex
The business Of Fl Paso all discussing ways
mean of opening up trade with Mexico and other for
sgn countries One Of the first things they should do is
develop export trade experts among their The