Evening star., 1919-03-23
WORLD TRADE, MAP
NOW BEING REDRAWN
FOR u. S. EXPORTERS
Government AgenciesAre Cooperating In
Work Which Is Expected to Be of
Great and Lasting Value.

, only from the point Of view Of the
experts in Washington, but the COM
mittee went to the trades and by con-
ferences with individuals and with
the cooperation of many trade or
ganizations reports and schedules are
being worked out in a way that q
| majority of the industries say is "just
what we need"
The whole object has been to make
these trade statistics of commercial
value, to be one way in which the
government helps trade development
! now that the war is over, SO that
business can get accurate trade in
formation in a form that is usable.
Provisional Classification Made.
This process of reclassification has
now reached a stage where a provi-
| sional classification has been made
under ten main groupings:
p-Vegetable products, principally
foods and beverages.
G)-Animals and animal products
Except fbers).
3)-Fibers and textile products.
0-Wood, wood products and paper.
(5)-Plant products, other than food,
fibers and woods.
(6)-Non-metallic minerals and prod
ucts.
G-Ores, metals and metal manu-
factures.
(s)-Machinery and vehicles.
(9)-Chemicals and chemical prod
ucts.
U0)-Miscellaneous.
These main groupings are broken
up into< 100 subclassifications, and
these again subdivided according to
the decimal scheme.
The cooperation of the industries
is now being used to the utmost to
complete the details and to make nee
essary adjustments. It is expected
that the recommendations OF the COM
will be approved by the Secretaries Of
Commerce and the Treasury, so that
/. 1920. @ ''' e'' on 'An'AfS
This new classification, bringing
data strictly up to date. is Of practical
value to the American manufacturer
or exporter, SO that he can see Just
where there is a developing market
for his goods. Take. for example, q
dealer in typewriters. He keeps track
only in a general way of what his
competitors are doing. He wants to
know what parts Of the world offer
openings. From the new commerce
typewriters are being shipped and can
figure out whether he is getting his
share OF this trade. He can see to
what countries typewriters are being
shipped and. as he knows where he is
shipping, he can readily tell where
there is a market he is not reaching.
Then, again. by these statistics. cover
ing series Of years, he can tell how
the particular trade in which he is
interested is growing year by year
and which countries offer the best
promise Of trade development. The
exporters are coming to depend more
and more on these statistics and are
n n W. dor 4 linz <IH4k Al
and extended.
Check Kept on Imports.
concerns are interested in the statis-
tics because they keep check on the
and qualities Of foreign
competing goods entering our mar
kets. They also keep the manufac-
turers informed on the movements Of
raw materials and thus aid them in
keeping track Of the market.
From those statistics comes the
nrst OF The three advantages men,
toned above. making it possible for
men in non-competing lines to see
Just what the commodity needs are
IN IN a certain commercial division and
to establish a cooperative agency
there under the authority of the
act.
Now comes a new advantage, one
for which these trade statistics have
never before been used in this country
the upbuilding of the emergency feet
and the merchant marine coming
along, the government and private
interests are doing a real shipping
business. These statistics show how
trade is going to the different parts
tonnage is necessary to serve It.
They are being prepared to show in
tons as well as in money value what
exports and imports are from each
locality and for each commodity.
From this can be reliably estimated
Just how much tonnage is needed
for each particular port, and so the
shipping is conducted on the most
efficient basis. The United States
Shipping Board and the private ship
pers foresse that the reclassified sta
tistics will be Of great commercial
value in directing the course Of the
American merchant marine.
So much thus well accomplished.
The committee on commodities re-
classification has been contemplating
which has resulted In the redrawing
of the trade. map. Heretofore. the
trade statistics have been summarized
by continental groups. with a re-
capitulation by continents. Shippers
trade Of Asia or Of Africa, but in the the
more limited areas possessing COM
mercial unity. Therefore, the COM
mittee is working out a system of
summarizing trade statistics by major
commercial divisions: that roughly
shipping and commerce has already
organized. The trade statistics. there
fore. will be summarized 50 as best TO
meet the shippers needs and the re.
Quirements Of commercial orKanfza-
tions.
Education Of Commercial Agents,
This brings us to the third advan-
tage-the opportunity to educate
commercial agents SO that they may
be fitted specially for a particu.ar
field. In each trade region there fs a
particular type Of trade, a general sim
liarity OF customs and Of language,
increasing disposition to give com
Inercia! education for foreign trade.
Naturally no man can expect to ac-
quire an intimate knowledge OF ali
commodities their manufacture. etc
and the languages and customs Of a
large number Of peoples and still
have enough time left in life to work
out a commercial career. So commer-
cial schools must specialize and the
business houses sending men into
certain regions must pick them care.
fully as fitted for that region ana
educate them to deal with tho peonlas
and tho trade conditions in that H-
gion. So that q man would he
forced to make q particular study Of
the far east, Of South America or Of
the Australian regions.
Tho committee has been WORKING IA
make the reclassidca.ion Of stafistine
f1t in with the collection Of statisffca
on the production Of manufactured
goods' which arc taken by the bureau
OF the census, and the statistics on
agricultural products as taken by the