Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1918-12-29

bred dollar fund. will go a long
way, 1t Is believed. toward soothing the
ruffied feelings of the business lead
ers OF the country. who felt that the
President purposely omitted any ref
mittee of expert business men should
be sent to Versailles to advise with
the American delegates to the peace
conference regarding industrial and
commercial problems when he re-
piled to the letter of President
Wheeler inviting him to the Atlantic
City conference.
Commercial attaches are now rep
resenting the Department of Conn
merce in the interests Of American
business at twelve posts-London.
Paris, The Hague. Copenhagen. Petro-
grad (now on leave in Washington,
Picking, Toxic. Buenos Aires, Lima
(Peru). Rio de Janeiro, Melbourne
and Madrid
Men prominent in the export trade
are being canvassed for the new en-
bassy missions. 1t is believed by the
federal government and by the large
business organizations such as the
United States Chamber of Commerce,
that men of special training and
qualification will soon be found who
are willing to take these positions
even at a relatively small salary that
the government will pay for the sake
Of rendering a notable public service
to industry and commerce or the
United States The idea is strong
that Just as business experts and
trade leaders gave the government
their best services to carry out the
war program, SO also will business
experts aid even at personal financial
sacrifice in carrying out the post
war program for trade expansion.
It is made clear by officials of the
bureau of foreign and domestic COM
merce that these bust
Not to Take ness experts are not
going into the foreign
ofuels' capitals with view to
taking orders and making an over
the-top" plunge to wrest the spoils
of war in the shape of Immediate
business. The government plan is
rather that they shall be attached TO
the embassies as expert advisers with
a practical knowledge of industries
in this country, special knowledge OF
raw materials, transportation. sys-
TENS of marketing, mill capacity, etc.,
so that they can confer with those
people who might like to do business
with American concerns and give
them a better understanding of con-
dit;ons. quality of goods and gen.
eral business practice-thus working
I'D the spirit of good VIII which
Secretary Redfeld has preached as
the basis of stable foreign traue.
They are to make a thorough sluus
Of opportunitieS for American prod-
nets machinery, capital-and 10
suggest raw materials or other sup
niles that the United States can TAKE
in exchange. ~
F,ouipped with such a force in the
world markets, the bureau OF iorelsi
and domestic commerce leeis eo ar,,
ice to the industries and commerce OF
this country, not only in finding mar
kets but in warning against traue
pra ctices into which some exporters
might impulsively be drawn. ING
function of this federal bureau is &c
is guided in lines of permanency ano
good will, holding the trust and con
fdence of the other nations. just as
much as it is to increase the outlel
for American merchandise.
ANY attempts at unfair trade prac-
tees will be dealt with by the fed
eral departments
n,f,;, p-oo+;oa. and by the FEEDER
al Trade Commits
Discouraged. sion, which has
the administration of the Webb-Pom-
creme export trade act. Secretary Red
field has repeatedly insisted that there
is no intent or purpose to hog the
foreign market on account of Amer
ica's present unequaled condition OF
readiness to meet world demands, but
he proposes that American Industry
American commerce, shall have every
proper assistance in entering inter-
national trade in much more ex-
tensiye way than ever before. HE
wants this export business to be built
on a foundation that will last.
American export interests just now
see their first big opportunity to en-
gage in competition for foreign trade
on the superior merit Of their goods
through displaying them at the Igor
sample fair, to be held in Lyon
France, from March 1 to March 10
next.
The shipping board is making ar
rangements to carry samples to the
fair free. This indicates the zeal OF
the government agencies to see Amer
ican industry represented in large
way at the fair.
This international exposition has
supplemented the Leipzig fair. On &C.
count Of it's Importance. with an es.
peclal bearing on Switzerland anG
the nearby country, the Guaranty
Trust Company of New York has
opened branches at Tour and other
places to take advantage of the trade
that develops through this congress
of exporters and importers.
1t is interesting to note that orders
totaling s52,o00,00O for American
goods were taker
nr ZONES, Work at the Lyon fair
in April, 1918
due to the late Consul John Edward
Jones, who worked indefatigably fol-
American participation in the fail
and to promote American business in
terests.
At the solicitation of the Department
of Commerce the State Department
has allotted to the American consul
at Lyon $1,000 for the rental of space
at the fair to display American goods
and catalogues. This opens up three
ways in which American manufactur-
ers and exporters can exhibit at the
fair:
F'irSt-A stand or several stands
may be rented for the duration of the