The sun., 1919-07-07
FIELD FOR EXPERTS
OPEN IN PANAMA
-. - a.. ,.,.
Strong, Men Who Will Settle
Down in Country Great
% est. Need.
CHANCE FOR PIONEERS
Specialists in Any Line Who
Adopt Latin American Gus
toms Welcome.
CHANCE FOR. PIONEERS
ny CLAYTON s. COOPER.

ny CLA y. SOOfbhs
On the coat OF arms Of the Republic
Of Panama one reads: The repudia-
ton of war and homage to the arts
which flourish in peace and in labor"
over the ! section called THE Canal
Zone" there also floats an ensign read
ing: "The Land Divided, the World
United"
The possibilities OF mankind. COM
meroial and moral. that lie wrapped up
in these ideals are tremendous. The
canal cost the United States 100000
600 in gold; the results will be re-
turned not In money only but In the
opportunity rarely offered to nations and
men to link together in wide and deep
fraternnl unity the two Americas.
Brief narration of the unusual ad-
vantages of location and soil produce
tivity would seem to make OF Panama
a "providential republic" But between
the enchanting ideals and the practical
possibilities lies q world OF effort. and
the chief factors OF that effort are the
men and the women themselves.
I asked the representative Of one OF
the largest business houses Of the United
States what he considered 20 be the first
need in building up a lasting trade be-
tween the two Americas.
Tho first essential" he replied, 'is
to get strong men to come down here
prepared to settle down and stay In the
country. We send young men to these
republics who hardly get their roots
down than they are called away to other
posts, and business must depend upon
mediocre men or soldiers Of fortune, who
make n poor impression upon the South
Americans, and who also seldom like
the coentries as fxed abiding places.
You cannot do much to help business
among any people unless you like that
people. and the land they inhabt. We
must use great care In choosing our
South American business pioneers
Somewhat along this line was the re-
mark Of the manager of one OF the large
banking concerns OF Panama. a man
Who for many years has lived in this
country ana speaks with authority:
panama needs Just now trained diplo-
mats and men expert In the different
departments of government; we should
have specialists In commerce. Ash
cries, agriculture and finance. and the
business Of development OF Panama
should not BE- left TO any one who Is
willing simply TO GONE down here be-
cause possibly hs. has succeeded at home
in some particular line."'' ..
Well Meaning BunGlers.
This gentleman pointed out to me how
the buneling mistakes Of men in Pan.
anna. men who, had failed to realize the
temper OF the people, had set back the
clock" as he expressed Il. and made It
harder for the men who were foreigners
TO work. down here. One man had re-
Gently, been In Panama as an oficial
Government representative. With pei
fdctly good intentions he made such a
faux pas in q public meeting that his In
fiuence with the Panamans had been quite
completely destroyed. The interesting
thing about this incident lay in the fact
that, the official does not know that he
made a bad break, and the people were
too polite to tell him.
A certain American army officer is
very popular with the people here quite
largely. as am told. because he has
endeavored 20 understand the customs
and the temper of the Panamans
He takes OF his hat when he meets
me-" said one Papaman. as he spoke
OF this officer Another referred to a
reception given by the Official When
the President arrived the order WAS
given for the national anthem to be
played and II. E. was announced with
all the dignity belonging to the Spanish
American temperament.
1t seems q bit ridiculous to the direct
ness loving American to change his at
titude toward person who may be HE
close friend whenever he treats with
him offcially. but Il Is Just such little
urbanities that win the respect OF the
Latin American. A friend OF mine who
has lived long In this small republic told
me OF a very close friend OF HIS who was
recently elected as a Government official.
uatA hA 90
friend upon any Official business ] must
take care TO put on a silk hat and
frock coat and 60 through all the for
malit!es required OF an utter stranger.
Furthermore" said my informant, at
II required OF US down here, in the
case OF the death OF q business acquaint-
ance. to robe ourselves in proper black
clothing and not only attend the funeral.
but also, II the deceased was a personal
friend or a man TO whom honor Is due,
I must walk all the way to the cemetery
In the procession. Otherwise l should
make mortal enemies Of the family"
Patience n Necessity.
The Northerner who Is impatient and
abrupt will always come TO grief in
these countries. The people are simply
not accustomed 10 doing business in a
Nhcy never bcpdTAlc
business from social courtesies OF the
drawing room. One successful Amer
lean voiced very important need Of
those who would deal with these people
OF Spanish extraction when he said.
Patience Is not virtue simply. It is a
necessity down here"
There is another important point to be
remembered which is being taught by
experience In these Latin countries rela-
tive 20 trade with the United States
This is the advantage which business
Arms have which do not need to trade
with. middlernen. but having established
their own houses In South America are
able to deal with the people directly.
Firms like the Singer Sewing Machine,
Standard OH and certain OF the steel
companies, for example, are able to COM
pete successfully with any foreign firm
because of the fact that they have es-
tahlished headquarters for their spe-
cialty In the South American republics.
South Americans like to go to head,
quarters for their goods. Few Germans
or EnElishmen can successfully COM
pete with one OF these American Arms
that have thus established themselves in
South America. since the European
Aa.- -