The sun., 1919-10-06
EXPORTERS HERE NEGLECT
SOUTH AMERICAN ORDERS
Complaints Made That Trade Is Sought Only When
Need for Unloading Surplus Products
Becomes Pressing

were no American banks and few Amer
| lean manufacturers had direct represen-
tatives--or even indirect representatives
who were Americans. To-day the Ameri-
| can manufacturer has all of these aids.
Aids to American Manufacturers.
American news services furnish the
newspapers with their cable and mail
| news; American advertising agencies
have brought within the reach of every
advertiser competent and thorough in
formation regarding media, and very
complete information regarding the mar
kets for wide variety of American
products. The United States Govern
| ment has issued surveys on the possi-
bllities for the sale of commodities In
Central and South America from data
| amassed by experts. These surveys
are unequalled by any other country.
Monthly there are published in the
United States magazines of commerce,
science, fiction and fashion in Spanish
and Portuguese. which have a tremen-
dous combined circulation in Latin
America. South American newspapers
have their own business and editorial
representatives in New York. and many
of them have branch offices in other
cities of the United States.
American banks have agencies in the
main trade arteries of the Americas, and
these banks disseminate. weekly and
monthly, valuable trade data, and fur
nish on request specific information, in
cluding financial ratings on prospective
customers and banking information.
American ships flying the American
| flag and carrying cargo at rate which
| enables us to compete with the other
nations of the world are being added to
4 a linn A1rlx
| there will be in operation speedy pas
senger vessels between New York and
| Buenos Ayres, with stops at Rio de
| Janeiro and 'Montevideo, that will cut
the present sailing time to one-third of
what It has been.
l. The United States Government has
parcels post conventions with practi :
cally every country in South America.
which affords excellent opportunity for
manufacturers and exporters to ship
small lots, not exceeding eleven pounds,
to purchasers. Americans in Argentine,
| Brazil. Cuba and other countries have
organized Chambers of Commerce on an
elaborate scale and in three instances at
least-in the case OF Cuba, Argentine
and Brazil-have opened Offices in New
York, and have established representa-
tives here to aid other Americans who
want to do business in these countries
In fact, all Of those expert mediums
by which trade is fostered, and for which
the American exporters clamored a few
years ago. are In existence, and are pre-
pared to function as smoothly and COM
petently as the mediums of any of the
nations competing with us for business
which apparently is lacking to-day Is
the necessary one of supplies. Mer-
chants are not taking advantage of the
opportunity which is not only awaiting
them but is actually clamoring to be
made use OF.
Geared Beyond Home Consum ptiou
Some method OF cooperation should be
worked out by which our customers In
South America could have their wants
at least partially attended to. To-day
the manufacturer. because of under.
production and abnormal domestic de-
mand--to say nothing of the super
abnormal world demand-has nothing "a
worry about. He can Sell everything
he makes right at home. But the physi-
cal fact. which cannot be escaped ia
the long run, is that normally Ameri-
can production Is geared, to-day, be-
yond American consumption. To pay
the increased wages, and meet the
shorter hours of labor, there must be
additional production. and that produc-
ton must be sold outside the United
| States, once the bare shelves of TO.
day are filled again.
If we lose the trade that we have
gained in South America during the
past five years, we will have a difficult
time regaining 1t. And if such an
eventuality should transpire, there woulc
be grim humor in recalling that with
every vehicle necessary for a great
commercial entente-from expert organ
ization Of government and industry to
unparalleled demand-the United States
failed to score because It couldn't spare
the goods from its own market.