The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1918-04-04
PAST EFFORTS IN
SOUTH AMERICA


Isl 70 South American nations nv n
,,x .s...'os.oh OF american business leaders
" e the supervision and official an
onsa,-y u secretary McAdoo. 1t was not
=. IN the column to do more than
w.. io'en the general statement which
1 .,.oue 10 secretary McAdoo by James
e. arreh' president of the United States
ateel corporation, who was chairman Of
America. Went 10 south
nc commission spent a little over a
| ear IN South America. IT was divided
I.eo several bodies, one of which visited
a niazli' another Argentine. and still an
inn,,,a, .ne west coast of South America,
49,. bohvia 1t may be that the
y,,is,s.;. uiuerstanding of what this COM
.ssioh secured in the way of inforna-
ZION mat will be of value to- America n
oasiless interests who are now seeking
anu VIII continue to seek expansion of
out International trade in South Amer
.ca VIII De by referringAin some detail
to the report made N Earnest H
Wahus, VINO was chairman of that com
n nii1'ee or the commission which visited
cru Bolivia and Chill.
Mr.. Wards was especiaIIv oor,ne+art
Tor this important work for the reason
Inat curing the administration of Mr..
Nhox as secretary of State under Pres
Iueht Iaft, Mr.. Wands was the confiden-
eiai representative of the state depart-
n1ent upon several occasions in South
4,a and in Central America. Fur
enerfnore, as he speaks Spanish fluently,
was an the more fitted for the inn
portant work which was committed TO
MN. Mr.. Wands speaks with enthusi-
assn OF the opportunities which are open
70 the United States for international
trace with Peru, Bolivia and Chill.
orty years ago the late William r
trace VINO afterwards was twice Mayor
OF New York city, began the develop
ine.it OF International trade between Peru
ana me United States What was then
oesuh unoer the leadership of Mayor
grace has been maintained and increased
SO that there are now good reasons. IN
Mr Wands' view, for believing that we
are speedily to establish verv large In
terhdllonal commerce with Peru and that
american capital will be wisely tempted
TO make investment for the exploitine
q the inconceivably rich resources of
Feru' Mr. Wands says that business
propositions in South America and espe-
cially Peru, are now carefully studied in
the United States, and many of them
are now being financed. There is, in
fact, no doubt that many of our finan-
GERS whose vision is not limited. have
concluded that in the long run moro
oeneflt will accrue to the United States
IN financing and developing South Amer
lca than in holding funds to lend to our
european trade competitors for recon
structlon purposes after the war
In speaking to the Lima Chamber or,
Commerce, using the Spanish language.
MIR. Wands said "Our business men real
We that there are many reasons why
this is particularly good time to get
acquainted with the possibilities of
Latin-America." There are only three
large international trade nations and
these Mr.. Wands told his Peruvian
Trends are the United States. Great
Britain and Germany
LESSON GREAT BRITAIN TAUGHT
Great Britain taught lesson which
business men Of the United States must
learn If we are to gain any part of the
prestige in South America which it is
possible now for us to gain. Great Bri-
tain gained her commerce in South
America first by establishing what was
the first line of steamers between Eu-
rope and South America, then by intro
ducing the first cable, then by financ-
ing the pioneer railroads, which opened
up the country to settlement and devel-
opment and furthermore. by establishing
adequate banking facilities. Germany
was speedily upon the heels of Great
Britain in South America and at the
time the European war began, Germany
had established huge trade with South
America That country was materially
helped in this work by the hundreds of
thousands of German immigrants who
settled in Brazil and other parts of South
America.
GERMANY'S GREAT GAMBLE
Germany ventured the risk of losing
the magnificent trade which she had
secured with South America when the
Kaiser determined to draw the sword.
|! Before the war Germany and Great Bri-
tain possessed the greatest merchant ma
rine in the world and the best system
of branch banks in South America. Now
it is time for the United States to de-
velope a merchant marine and that can
be done because by reason OF the warm
abundant return cargoes can be secured.
If branch banks are to be successfully
esta blshed in South America-and some
have already been-it is necessary that
there be large export trade from the
United States and large import trade
to the United States from Latin-Amer-
lea. In other words, the United States
must buy in greatly increasing measure
of the products OF the South American
countries.
Mr.. Wands reports to Secretary Nc
Adoo that Peru has within, her borders
what must probably be considered to be
perhaps the most highly mineralzed por-
tons of the earth's surface as yet eX-
plored by man. In addition to her gold
and silver, her copper mines, one of
which is under the control of American
capital. are producing many thousand
tons of copper year and there are ex-
tensive deposits of zinc and coal, only
awaiting exploitation. Furthermore, Mr.
Wands reports that the agricultural pos
sibilities of Peru are stupendous. Sugar
and cotton now are close rivals for the
| first place in her agriculture.
Some years before the deaSl of Mayor
| Grace he said that after transportation
J facilities had been secured, the wonder
fully rich and virgin soil of the vast
plateau Of eastern Peru would be util-
lied for the cultivation of wheat and
when this is done, the worlds annual
supply of wheat will be very greatly
increased. Bolivia was one of the coun-
tries visited by that part of the com
mission of which Mr.. Wands was chair
man, and he found there most tempting
| opportunities for the investment of
american capital in the exploitation of
thu vast mineral deposits Of Bolivia.
Mr.. Wands ventures the opinion that
Latn-America today offers opportuni-
ties on a basis never presented before,
not only for the extension Of, our trade
in foreign markets. but also for the in
vestment of United States capital in
| profitable enterprises-this especially in
view of the fact that South America Is
destined, before long to become one OF
the worlds great sources Of food supply
! for the most density settled countries.
1.-THE reports which were made to Sec
rotary McAdoo in the aggregate make a
volume of nearly 100 pages. every line OF
which should be read and absorbed by
| American business men who are looking