New-York tribune., 1919-01-18
Illinois Ambitious TO
Be Exporting State
Movement Launched i'm Chicago
for Foreign Trade
Commission

CHICAGO, Jan. IA movement to
give Illinois a state foreign trade com
mission to work for Illinois merchants
and manufacturers more intensively
than is possible under the provisions
of the Federal commission has been
launched in Chicago by the Womens
Advertising Club.
Steps have been taken by, the club
to interest Governor Lowden and the
state officials in securing passage dur
ing the present Legislature of an act
carrying out the clubs idea
The plan for a foreign trade COM
mission for Illinois is absolutely new
in state affairs and in the United
States. The club believes. after a study
Of the foreign market. that foreign
trade commission is a vital need to
Illinois manufacturers and business
men, to supplement national commits
soners and local chambers of COM
merce.
The following telegram was sent yes
terday TO Governor Lowden, to Lieu
tenant Governor j. G. Oglesby and to
the Illinois House of Representatives
by the Legislative committee:
1--WE believe it is imperative that
Illinois should act Immediately with
individual and intensive authority to
protect and promote the FOREIGN trade
Of her merchants and manufacturers.
We recommend for consideration by
yourself and by the members of the
Senate and the House of Representa-
tives the creation of a foreign trade
commission, with an appropriation SUI
tici9nt to emp Ov a~ents for each I'M
portant foreign market. such as North
America Ea-torn Asia Austria ia New
|, RI
South America Africa and Europe. ITO
gather information on trade conditions
and opportunities in these markets,
and to do this in order to educate the
merchant and manufacturer to the
necessity Of building up a standard
quality and providing an export outlet
for his goods.
owe recommend also that it shall be
part of the duties of this commission
to provide appropriate publicity in for
eign markets for Illinois products"
"The only argument that CAN be ad-
vanced against our suggestion is that
it might result in a duplication OF
work" said Miss Helen L. Carter pres
dent of ;ne club, "but If every manu-
factlrer having a competitor IN the
market thought the same thing, no
one would have any business. TIE pro
rata allowance for the State Of Hi
nois, under the Federal provision, is
less than $4,000, while the advance
ment Of foreign trade is more neces-
sity for each state than for the ma
ton.
"The consular reports are published
with Wow to national activity and
national needs; and these reports are,
besides. weeks old, so that we think
the majority of manufacturers in The
state canrot benefit by this service
as we'll as through state organiza-
ton having only state interests al
heart.
"The establishment of foreign
trade service under state foreign
trade commissioner with sufficient
funds, will do more to place our for
eign trade for the Illinois manufact-
urer above our domestic trade than any
service we have mao or could secure.
Illinois ranks only sixth among ex-
PORTING states, although in the value
Of her manufactures she is third in the
whole country. She should be first
among exporting states, too, because
she has everything to make her great
with the whole Mississippi Valley to
draw FROM
Mrs NJ L. Jones, a member of the
club, declared it was Il move for the
small manufacturer who must seek an
export outlet for his goods if he is
to maintain himself in the future.
"lf he waits until it is too late to
gain foothold in the foreign field, he
will find foreign competitors have shut
him out" she said "1ne large manu-
facturer does not need any assistance,
while the small manufacturer and racr-
chant is not financially able to enter
into Il combination for export business.
Japan is spending S5,000000 to adj
vertisc japanese goods and japanese
workmanship to the world. China is
about to spend similar huge sum to
bring her teas successfully before the
world market. We think it is time for
Illinois to act in cooperation with the
national government, but for the bene
fit OF Illinois, to make Illinois the
leading manufacturing and exporting
stntn Of 1ln cnuntlN :,