The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-08-11
AMERICA FAILS
TO GRASP GOOD
EXPORT CHANCE
Here Seem
Indifferent to South
American Trade.
EUROPE is COMING BACK
Argentine Official Tells Of
Delays and Barriers in
United States.

POSSIBLY in no city in the world Is
there 30 much written concerning
methods of securing export business and
at the same time so little heed taken
and attention given 1t by manufacturers
as In your own city," was the statement
ruade by Fred A. Lagrange. technical
inspector OF the Argentine Government
Railways, who Is about to sail Tor
Buepos Ayres after having spent eight
months in this country engaged in the
Purchasing and shipping OF several
millions dollars worth OF railway
material
To make the matter clearer and to
rabstantiate his sweeping statement Mr.
Lagrange, who Is graduate Of Boston
Institute Of Technology and spent
several years with the Westinghouse
Electric Company before going to South
America, went on to explain to THE SUN
representative as follows:
About year ago / arrived In this
country on a mission for my Govern
rent to purchase. supervise and inspect
over 100000 of miscellaneous ma
tsrials for our government railways not
including locomotives. cars or rails. for
tho latter could not be exported. during
the war period. While placing these
orders discovered an Independence. In
fAct an indifference. on the part Of the
manufacturer and suffered many imposi-
lions upon my ordinarily good nature
Disappointments were numerous and de-
lays beyond my patience. but OF course
at that time It could not be helped, and
only for the reason that we were in such
o great hurry and in dire need of these
articles and our inability to secure them
from Europe was 1 forced to submit
&c. these conditions
Orders Reduced or Cancelled.
Later on, after the signing of the
armistice, some of the orders were re-
duced and some cancelled and placed by
cable in Europe.
"During my stay in this country I
have attended conventions, manufac-
turers' meetings. have read your news
papers and magazines devoted to exports,
and have heard all The arguments ad.
vocated as to how best to secure export
trade, but the trouble lays with the indi-
vfdual manufacturer, who impresses me
that he has made large profits during
the war and will wait for the peace
treaty to be ratified. or see what Europe
Il going to do, and as long as there Is
no risk involved or investment on his
part he might manufacture for export,
But that, contend, is not going into ex-
port: that Is Just selling (. o. b. New
York.
"Of course there are exceptions to
an rules. Some Of your larger manufac-
turers are sending and have sent their
travelling representatives to our country,
and many Government commissions and
attaches have studied our conditions and
requirements, gathering information and
data, and have submitted various plans
to sell American products. but the Amer
team manufacturer just doesn't seem to
act or care to, but lets the willing mer-
chant of my country carry all the
burden.
Trade to Go to Europe.
f.'why, I wonder, Is II that you see
large advertising space used ana big
campaigns inaugurated in your country
that must run into large sums TO COM
pete for domestic business when but
small part of this same appropriation
Will bring immediate results and es-
tablish not, only a new field for future
production but be able to compete at
his time with the world?
The time factor, too, Is TO be con-
pidered Several months ago 1 really
thought the American manufacturers
would control the biggest part of the
commerce of South America in many
products that had been shipped there
during the war. but to-day 1 am con-
WINGED that IL the American manufac-
ttrer does not offer more assistance and
make it easier both as to credits and
cooperation with representatives who can
serve him it is but a matter of two or
three years before Europe, including
Germany, will have reestablished them
selves In their former positions, and then
the American manufacturers will realize
the serious errors OF their Indifferent
policy"