Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1918-12-15
ORGANIZING TO GET WORLD TRADE


mapping out of reconstruction pro-
grams are i'm
international pressing upon
Trade Alliances. , In e 1 nations ns
the advantages that will accrue to
them through linking their commerce
with that of the United States,
through an organization of mutual
exchange. rather than to be tied up
to German organizations as in the
past.
Realizing that the pick Of the
worlds trade Is to be had by the
United States. and that practically all
of, the countries of Europe. Asia,
Africa, Australia and South America
are, rivals to get their products ex-
changed for American. foodstuffs.
clothing and machinery through the
operation OF the greatest merchant
marine in history, now being built by
the United States Shipping. Board,
some Of the nations with big develop
.mert work in view are making ar
engagements for such information
trade alliances
Just as the various industries in this
country are uniting under the author
ity OF the Webb-Pomerene act for CO.
operative efforts in foreign markets.
just as the Chamber of Commerce of
the United States at the Atlantic City
conference this week banded related
groups of industries together for more
efHclent and economic export trade,
so are commercial organizations being
formed by trade leaders in the United
States and trade leaders in other
OF resources and industries in those
countries, with the bulk Of trade from
such development guaranteed to the
United States. Serbia and China are
good illustrations Of this. Both have
been irked by trade dominance Of
Germany. and see their best future in
doing a direct business with the
United States. OF course they want
the use of American capital, but they
are offering American business q
preferential trade in exchange.
Serbia, having passed through a
scourge Of plague as well as war, is
eternally grateful to the
Serbia's United States, which sent
w.. double deliverance. Serbia
1AoPe0 expects to be the terri
torial corner stone of a great Jugo-
Slav confederation, opening up a vast
market through a free customs zone
at Saloniki. as provided for by the
Greek government before the war.
There appears to be an excellent OPP
portunity for obtaining a firm and
permanent foothold in the trade OF
Serbia, because in the future Serbia
intends to divert to the United States
most of her trade. which was monop-
olized by Germany and Austria before
the war.
Serbian commerce of the future Is
likely to be under the more or less
direct control of the government, with
two large organizations already In
existence for this purpose. Overtures
with a semi-official coloring have al
ready been made for an American
Serbian association for the simporta-
ton of American goods into Serbia
This proposal was made to Consul
General George Horton at Saloniki
by Manoil S. Torbitza, civil func-
tionary attached to the Serbian min
istry Of war. who was before the war
one Of the most important bankers
and importers IN Belgrade. and whose
commercial record was we'll known. to
all foreign commercial rating houses
and banking institutions.
He suggested that the association
could be formed at q conference be-
tween American capitalists with M
Pupin, the Serbian consul general in
New York, who is well acquainted
with the commercial conditions in
both countries. He proposes a SINH
lar association in Serbia or at Sa-
loniki to guarantee substantial sum
against any loss by American CAPT.
talists.
Before the Balkan war. Mr.. Tor
bitza points out, within the bounda-
ries of old Serbia there were annual
ly turned over goods to the amount
of 900 900 metric tons. After the adj
dition Of new Serbia in 1913 this guam
tity was doubled in the short space
of time between the end of the second
Balkan war and the beginning of the
world war. The expected Jugo-SlaV
confederation would multiply this
business.
Consul General Horton has reported
that Serbia is in absolute need Of