The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1919-04-10
NOT ONE OBSTACLE
IS |NSURMOUNTABLE
haIFufactursTs Advised Not 10 HeSi-
tate in Development of Trade, as
Outlook is Bright,

In word Of announcement to the
many manufacthrers to whom export
trade is comparatively now. George Ed
Smith. president of the American
Nd manufacturers Export association, de-
clfares that, while the present Oh
~tacies to the development of our ex-
port trade are serious and real. there
10 not ono which cannot be surmount-
ed by the manufacturers Who is de-
rerrnined TO make export trade a def
mite and permanent part OF his bust
nsss, MI Smiths statement follows:
One OF the fundamental changes
oxUoght about by the war IN the al
tered attitude of the American manu.
sactursr toward foreign trade. Ex-
ports occupy much larger place in
the mind of the manufactures today
than they occupied in 1914 The war
has demonstrated the valus Of foreign
markets to the American produces
and the value ct American products
TO the foreign consumcr. On thu
ether hand, the war has created GER
tain abnormA conditions which the
American exporter must facs and sur
mount before he can secure the per
mapent export trade which he now
firmly believes desirable.
There n great dangar. rhsr~fUre,
that the manufacturer to whom ex-
fail to profit by his altered viewpoint
because OF hesitation to face tho Oh
stacies which he now finds in the path
of foreign trade. AT the very outset
then let me say that while the pres
ent obstacles to the development of
our export trade are serious and real.
there Is not ono which cannot b.
surrnounted by tho manufacturer who
Is determined to make export trade a
81 t,fz
business.
Some of cur best markets are
closed To us By restrictions of I'm
portss bot every Indication points to
the fact that these restrictions are
merely temporary, and that tho nor
mai laws Of supply and demand win
within q comparatively short time be
permitted to operate
"A great part OF the World b fabor-
ing under burden OF debt and diff
cufttea brought about by the war, but
when the readjustments are made
and they must be made Quickly-there
will inevitably be a tremendous de-
n1and for tho American products
which other countries must have to
win their way back to normal condi-
ttonA
LAT ths present moment, transpor-
tatton Ia a serious problem, but one
that the rapid rehabilitation of the
armies and the lifting OF the present
necessity for shipping great quaint
ties of foodstuffs to Europe, together
with the completion of the ships now
building will mean an abundance of
cargo space in the not far distant fu-
ture.
The manufacturer who begins now
to organize his foreign selling organ
izations will find that by the time he
has completed his arrangement, the
prospects for successful export trade
will be much brighter than they ap-
pear to be at present.
In the meantime, therefore. tho
American manufacturer should per-
feet his own direct selling organiza-
ton Exporters, to secure the great
est results from their foreign trade.
must sell direct through their own
organization in other countries
They must have men on the spot who
know, and who are loyal to their pro-
duct. This, of course, means a great
initial outlay. but il also means a per-
manent and profitable trade.
Those manufacturers who are in
a position to develop their own organ
ization throughout the world without
SUITS from this policy. Those who
are not in position 10 do this have
at hand a splendid medium for
combined effort under the Webb
Pomerene law.
'-rhs essentials OF a direct selling
organization are: first, a selling ma
chinery under the immediate direction
OF the home office: secondly, facilities
for supplying continuing service to tho
purchaser; and. third. depots or dis
tx1eaong ssassanS thEosEhnnx ths