New-York tribune., 1918-07-14
Business of Selling
Is Educational

Business of Selling
Is Educational
Don't be ashamed of being in busi-
ness, as some Americans abroad used
to be. The business Of selling is the
most interesting occupation in the
world. If educated, it broadens and
enlarges ones views, it rounds up and
polishes and it is the greatest univer-
sity the world possesses. 1t makes
demands on every professional and
artistic instinct man possesses; after
the busy struggle for dollars is over
and a man sums up his work it leads
him to charity and liberality in dis
pensing his money to help suffering or
oppressed humanity, as this war has
demonstrated.
Worldwide business enterprise offers
the greatest attraction. 1t is full of
bold adventure; it takes men to the
extremes of the earth; it maps out and
records facts. and furnishes data which
no government bureau ever jots down
What markets, it may be asked, will
be open to the American manufactures
after the war? Well, it is safe to say
that, granted the war ends Gas it GER
tanly will in an Allied victory, 8
welcome will be given to American
goods in every country which is now
an American ally or in whose interests
America is now fighting. There will
also, no doubt, be great demand from
those present enemy countries from
which the trade tentacles of Germany
will be loosencd by an Allied victory.
AS regards Germany herself, it is a
very tlcklish question to discuss-how
far the present bitterness OF feeling
between that country and the United
States will be factor in postwar
trade. Even, however, though that
market may be closed to us, there will
yet remain an enormous field of op-
portunty for American expansion.
England, of course, will be the casics st
market for us to tackle. Her language
is ours, and the friendship formed be-
tween England and America during
this war will count for much in the
development of a future friendly COM
merce. That England is now laying
her own extensive plans for invading
the new markets of the world need not
concern us greatly, for there will be
room enough for all, so tremendous is
going to be the demand. Moreover.
we have our own special commodities
to sell and England has hers. On this
account the competition will be less
thar it otherwise might be.
Fate Of Russia
Rests with Allies
Russia, so far as the problem of
self-support affects her, is second
United States. AS she stood before
the war, she was theoretically self
sustaining. She was also the country
of unlimited opportunity. Unhappily,
if the present status of Russia is main
tained-that is, if the commercial Ger
manization of the country continues
as result of German military occupa-
tlon and the war should not come to
an early end-tnen the opportunities in
Russia for American trade will grad
ually diminish.
On the other hand, if the Allies are
victorious and Germany is drawn out
of Russia, then those opportunities
will be immense. Everything depends
on Germany's position at the end of
the war. In the same sense our trade
chances in Austria-H Hungary, Rumania,
Turkey and in certain of the small
Balkan countries will depend almost
wholly on the German status.
All very good, you may say. But
what about transport? With govern
ment control of all materials and sup
plies and means of transportation, what
good is it to be prepared? Suppose
We do make ready for the European
markets-how are we going to get our
goods across? Are there not, owing to
lack of transport facilities, thousands
OF tons of merchandise being held up
at present in our factories for lack Of
car permits; or being stored, or kept
on wheels at ports of shipment?
The answer is that the conditions
are as stated. But they will change
later on. Facilities are improving all
the time. Locomotives, wagons, rails
and ships are being rushed forward in
greater quantities than ever, not only
TO meet the present exigencics of the
war, but also to supply TRANSPORT for
overseas commerce after the war.
Hence, the problem of transport need
not cause any cessation of effort in
preparation or discourage the exer-
else of initiative in the solution of the
problem if that solution be temporarily
delayed.
No country but the United State,
could have entered the war and broupht
INTO 1t such stupendous aid. Our ma
terial resources, our intelligent labor
saving devices, our power driven ma
ch'nery have made the shortage of
labor by the draft into our army and
navy comparatively little felt, and new
plans and inventions have spurred our
output of every needed article. from
rails to tanks and all war supplies.
Our financial resources have furnished
credit IN large sums to our allies. and
as Germany started to pull do1vn and