The sun., 1919-07-02
GOVERNMENT AIDS
TRADE IN FAR EAST
Newly Created Division in
Bureau of Commerce Covers
a Wide Field.
BREAKS DOWN BARRIERS
Authentic Information Sup
piled to American Concerns
Seeking Export Business.
By F. II. ELDRIDGE, JR.,

Dy F. X. ELDRIDGE, JR.,
Chief Far Eastern Division, Bureau Of
Foreign and Domestic Commerce.
Specially icr1tton for the Far Eastern
Department Of THE SUN.
The work of the Bureau OF Foreign
and Domestic Commerce in promoting
foreign trade is so we'll known among
exporters and manufacturers that any
further discussion may seem superfiuous,
but the activities of the newly created
Far Eastern Division, extending as
they do over n period of a little less than
year. are not generally so we'll un-
derstood
Perhaps it would be easier to state
first what the Far Eastern Division is
not, rather than what 1t is, for its
ramifcations are so broad and its inter-
ests so varied that any attempt to de-
scribe in full its functions might pail
upon the reader. TO begin with. 1t is not
giving strictly credit information of
any nature. 1t is likewise not equipped
TO answer inquiries concerning the i'm
pete with American manufacturers of a
like nature other than these two ex-
ceptions there is hardly any foreign
trade promotion work concerning the
Orient which is not carried on in the
division.
This work consists mainly, in ans
sweriny inquiries from business houses.
These inquiries were formerly addressed
largely to consuls in the Far East, en-
failing a delay in reply of anywhere
from sixty to 100 days, and sometimes
longer. Copies of the replies with trade
lists which the consuls have been making
10 these trade inquiries have been col
lected in the bureau for many years, in
the course Of which time the pertinent
Information contained in them has been
dgested and filed under commodities
and countries. This information forms
the basis of our files.
Supplementing the work of the con-
suls, who are supposed to maintain a
local outlook on the commerce OF their
districts, the Commercial Attaches and
Resident Trade Commissioners have
maintained a national outlook on the
commerce of the country to which they
were assigned. and the reports Of these
officers are likewise at the disposal OF
the business public through the Fal
Eastern Division. Under the Increased
appropriation which goes into effect July
I, 1919, there will be Commercial At.
taches in Toxic and Pekin and Residen'
Trade Commissioners In Yokohama
Shanghai. Canton, Singapore, Melbourne
and Bombay. while the bureau viii
maintain a district office at Manila, P. I
Scope of Information Bureau.
The policy OF the bureau is to answer
every inquiry addressed TO II DIRE city
from the information furnished by these
officers which is on file. To round on
this information, however, the division
reads and clips weekly every publication
OF commercial interest from the Fal
East. 1t is now engaged in ascertainini
which OF these publications are on file IL
chambers of commerce and libraries
throughout the country. so that selectet
reading references on special subjects
such as automobiles, machinery. shoes
hardware, &C., which appear in thes
publications may be sent to inquirers to
gether with the name of the nearest II
brary or chamber Of commerce where IN
publications may be found. A weekly di
gest of the more important clippings i
also published in Commerce Reports un
der the title Far Eastern Press Notes
and readers of these notes often writ
for tho more specific Information whlcl
the fuller article contains.
The division also keeps on file all o
the latest customs statistics, year books
reports of commissions and department
OF Oriental Governments. reports o
American and other chambers of com
merce. and is also building up refer
ence library of books dealing with prob
lens Of exchange, currency, finance. sale
methods and transportation as well
modern treatises on mining, industries
Ct
resources OF Oriental countries. In ad
dition to these works the division 10 ma
ing a collection Of standard maps G
countries, provinces and cities in the Fla
East. which are freely consulted by pre-
spective travellers. Not the least II
teresting adjunct TO the library Is col
lection of Far Eastern guide books
timetables and railroad folders, whic
are at the disposal Of the public. Thes
are kept up to date and are OF niue
value in planning itineraries.
Aside from the routine work col
nected with answering several hundre
Inquiries a week the division prepare
and publishes at frequent intervals
Commerce Reports careful studies or Fla
Eastern economic problems. The title
OF some OF these studies, which are OH
tributed gratis TO persons on the "a
Eastern mailing list. have been re
Years Trade with emma, 'CHlneSe ma
ket for American Machinery" India
Industry and American Trade" TT
Dutch East Indies as American Ma
kets." 1.-THE Permanence OF Japane'
War Trade" Condition Of Chinese Raj
roads" bodybuilding in China. Amer
can Machinery in Australia" THE pap
Industry in Japan" THE Woollen II
dustrv in Japan and many other
Copies Of most of these circulars are st
available.
Investigators Gather Information
But perhaps the most effective work
the division is the supervision II mai
tains over the policies and work or u
travelling special investigators [
July l there will be in the Far Ia
special investigators preparing repor
on ports and transportation facilities
the Far East. advertising in the Far Eai
electrical goods in India and hardwa
and tools In the Far East. Each OF the
Investigations will cover at least yei
and the results will be published In Il
form OF special agents reports, Will
will be sold at a nominal price by Il
Superintendent OF Documents. Washin
ton, d. c.. and at the district offices
the bureau. Certain preliminary repor
on ports and transportation In Chin
prepared by Paul p. Whitman. are Q
ready on hand at the bureaus distri
Offices
This brief description Of the ma
activities OF the Far Eastern Division
merely Introductory. Several new lin
OF work are already planned. one co
sisting in a system OF collecting from Il