The Washington herald., 1918-01-04
FARRELL WINS
TRADE VICTORY
Holland Tells Of Steel Cor
poration Executives Sue
cess in Foreign Trade.

James A. Farrell. president Of the
United States Steel Corporation and
also chairman of the National For
eign Trade Council. issued today
Pa call for the nth annual meeting
| OF the Foreign Trade Convention,
which Is TO be held at Cincinnati
in mid-February.
When the National Foreign Trade
Council was organised there was
no thought Of war and certainly no
one dreamed that three years af-
ter the first meeting OF the For
eign Trade Convention the United
states would be engaged as a co.
beIligerent in war against Germany
and A AUSTRIA.
\ To Mr.. Farrell undoubtedly is to
be attributed the initial suggestion
Which led to the organization of
the National Foreign Trade Coun-
Gil He was especially qualified for
5ervice of this kind. Shortly after
4 the organization of the United
states steel Corporation Mr. Fer
rell became the head OF the FOR
eign sales department Of that or
h ganixation. He began his work with
X no organization and no record OF
h foreign trade achievements secured
by the great corporation wfth which
he was Identified, since that corpo-
K ration had been in operation only
II two or three years.
Mr.. Farrell, however, built up q
SforeIgn sales organization which
\ within q few years compared IA
vorabiy with the remarkable or
ganization which had been built up
by the Standard Oil Company. 1t
was an organization which in
volved activities upon many sides,
as. for instance, familiarity with
the commercial needs of various
nations of the earth. excellent
knowledge of the language spoken
N By the different people with whom
" he sought trade, thorough under
understanding OF diplomatic activi-
4 ties and OF the various forms of
government. and correct knowledge
lof geographical and transportation
conditions. Mr.. Farrell built up a
great school, so TO call II. whose
parts of the world for the purpose
of securing trade.
The German COmpetItlen.
One of The most dificuIt obstacles
that Mr.. Farrell met with when striV-
ing TO enter world markets with prod
ucts Of the Steel Corporation was
the highly effective and also highly
aggressive methods adopted by Ger
man manufacturers and encouraged
BY the German government for the
purpose Of securing trade, especially
In South America and also Australia
and South Africa. The German stand
ard Of business morals was not one
with which Mr.. Farrell was familiar
until he was brought fact to face with
Il, and u was one which he would
not initiate.
In a few years he succeeded in bring
ing up our exports OF steel commodl-
ties from almost nothing until 1t was
possible 70 report that in a single
year they had exceeded in money value
IN hundred million dollars. Gradually
but surely this organization was gain
fng good foothold in many of the
great markets of the world, when sud
denly the crisis of the war came
The first foreign trade convention
under the auspices Of the National
Foreign Trade Council took place
three months before the European
war began. Almost all Of the mem
bers Of the Psreign Trade Council are
leaders in Industries who had been
for some time before the war seeking
markets for their uproducts in other
lands than our own Mr.. Farrell has
been since 1871 confident that our for
eign trade will exert no small influence
in bringing triumph to the United
states and our allies. and 1t is for that
reason that he has suggested that the
theme be discussed at the convention
which Is TO. be held in Cincinnati in
February be this. namely. the part Of
foreign trade in winning the war. Mr..
Farrell calls the attention of his asso-
eiates in the council to the fact that
|the( American participation in the war
Iagafnst Germany has not only put a
neyk obligation upon the foreign trade
ent4rprise OF the United States. but