Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1919-06-26

/! and their own methods Of business
operation. But above all we must
learn their language n their meas
ures. We must not attempt to impose
on the South American people our
IoWn methods and our own language
II we wish to win their trade. Nothing
is more significant of their attitude and
mat of the United States than one in
lcldent with which 1 came into contact.
IN Santos. Brazil. one Of the great
est ports in the world. a store proprietor
asked me, when l stopped in his place
OF business to translate for him . bill
from the Carter Ink Company. The
bill was for ink t o the amount Of
$1l4. All Of Brazil speaks Portuguese.
Yet there was not one word of Portu-
guese in the communication from the
American firm Every word was Eng
fish. The measures used in the bill
were those in use in the United States.
There was no attempt to meet the Bra
lillian on his own ground.
One Merchants Experience.
AFTER 1 had translated the message
for him. the store proprietor said to
me. You see. 1 want to trade with your
people. They give us better products
than the Europeans. Their service is
more prompt and we like to deal with
the people Of the United States. But
you are making it impossible. 1 can
e the figures ia. because your fig
ures and the Portuguese are the same.
But 1 can not e a word Of English
and what do I know about pounds and
quarts. l deal with grams and !iters
and meters. II I were to secure these
same products from England or Ger
many, every letter and every state
ment would be in Portuguese and the
measures used would be those of my
country to which I am accustomed
This is h general attitude Of the
South Americans. They appreciate
h a United States products are better,
that their service Is more efficient, that
the United States is far ahead Of any
European nation in the development Of
its industries. But they can secure
service in their own tongue and on their
own basis from the European nations
and that is why they will deal with
Europe unless we see the light.
Need Ships and Banks.
AT present the crying need is ships
and banks. ships to carry South Amer
lean products from the country and
ships to bring the products Of the
United States to South America and
banks to establish an American sys-
tenn of credit. England has a bank in
every town of any size whatsoever,
which keep in perfect touch and CO.
operation with each other, the result
being that the South American can go
anywhere on the continent with q let
ter. from one bank and be treated as
a friend everywhere where there is an
English bank. To win South Amer
lean trade and close business relation
| ship, the United States must follow
suit.
v. s. Has Foothoid.
Our country has already gained an
excellent foothold with some indus
tries. The United States practically
controls h packing industry and its
automobiles, typewriters, adding ma
chimes Inc other manufactured pro-
ducts are being sold in increasing
numbers but it a not begun to make
a real entry into the trade circles of
the continent. Nothing is more signifi-
cant of the need of ships than h fact
that while the rest of the world has
been crying for corn. Brazil has been
burning it's last years crop in the fire
boxes of it's railway engines and fac
tories because it possessed no
of sending the corn to other nations
through lack of ships. England is
already turning it's attention to this
matter. It is up to the United States
to do the same. 1t will be asy for us
to win the permanent trade of the con-
tinent if we but extend the proper kind
of effort"
Europe is hoping it is significant of an
impending early agreement. that the de-
parture of President Wilson for home IL
rennrted as probable within 10 DAYS or