The sun., 1919-05-26
SANE TRADE WAYS
IN SOUTH AMERICA
Expert Tells Of Pitfalls Dug
by Ignorance Of Ameri-
can Statesmen.
SHOWS THE HUMAN SIDE
Methods Successful Up Here
Are Not Practicable With
the Latins.

~ REV. JOHN r. o'HARA-O.s.u.,
Director. Chamber Of Coumsrue, Unt-
verstty Of Notre Dome.
specIduy .oritten for ths Lati. Av,srtcnu
Section Of THE Sun.
Practically all the expert advice given
to exporters In tho United States these
days can be brought down to these three
points: ~ study your market. and Cry
% meet the point Of view OF your
foreign customer; (s) be honest and
fhir in your dealings, 60 follow In
structions regarding all the details Of
your export order.
A successful campaign has been
vaged for better packing. and now no
United States in this respect. Economy
Of space has been taught by the War
Department and scientific casing and
Grating Is now the rule. The only supe-
riority shown by European packers ia
IN the more general use of heavy oiled
paper as protection against Damp
ness. Shipping instructions are followed
more closely than before, but two COM
plants are still heard: "a that consul
lar invoices and bills Of ladinS some
times show discrepancies, and ca that
thc marks on cases and bills Of lading
d. not always correspond exactly
The caution to be fair and honest hes
beer made necessary largely by the
c.relessness and sharp practice Of ire
sponsible firms that have entered the
foreign field during the war. They have
done very serious damage to American
business, but they cannot well outlass
The period Of reconstruction.
The objection taken to American sales
methods has not been met 80 satisfac-
torily. The criticism that Americans
do not change their goods to suit for
e'gn demand is not entirely sound Il Is
not always practicable to meet the
change requested by the foreign Gus
toner. because the demand for the modi-
Ned article may not be sufficient to Jus
ufy the modification OF standardized
machinery; and In case the standardized
American article Is in reality capable
OF serving the purpose of the foreign
buyer, courteous demonstration may
cause him to accept your argument that
the standardized article Is the most use
ful and economical.
There is still room, for Improvement
however, in the approach" Of the Amer
scan manufacturer TO the foreign pros
poet and In our foreign selling methods
generally. Politeness and sales psychol-
osy tell us not to hurt the feelings of
our customer. and stili every one In
touch with the situation has q stock of
stories OF almost unbelievable bad man
ners on the part Of American manu-
facturers and salemen.
One Of the most trying experiences I
ever went through was acting as inter
prefer for an authoress who was seeking
Information on the National Lottery,
that supports the Carload" Hospital in
Montevideo. have never seen her book.
30 do not know what she got out of
her interview with the cultured super
intendent of the lottery. but I recall
very WILDLY the verbal gymnastics I
went through trying to turn her Eng
lish horror and contempt for Govern
ment patronage of gambling into Span
ish wonderment and qualification at the
good done by the money thus earned at
the expense OF the gambling instinct
A good friend OF mine from Philadel-
ph!a was amazed at the ignorance of
the walters in the Sportsman Hotel in
Sac Paulo. Brasil. who could not take
his order in English They brought him
"aoacsxf (pineapple) when he asked
for bacon and eggs, and q stein Of beer
when he pointed to the Brazilian term
Choppe" on the bill Of fare The easy
good nature acquired by long residence
English interviews with 'the trade"
but sophistication would surely have In
creased his Efficiency.
The scholarly william Bulfn, late ed
ftor OF the Southern Oross OF Busnos
Ayres, used to tell the story of an
American whom he found pushing over
the statue of Garibaldi In the Argentine
capitol Mistaking Bulnn for q native
'orteno," the -yanqui' turned over the
pages Of his little red dictionary and
pieced out the question: Este darned
thing: why hereT-) Some statesmen
may agree that the question had Its
point: but II the statue had been one
Of San Martin. the great national hero,
and Bulfin had really been 4 native, the
American would have succeeded nicely
in woundlng the vital susceptibilities of
possible customer.
The point Is simply this: Self-satis-
fed ignorance and narraw prejudice
against everything un-Amer1can are re-
sponsibls for the bad impression made
generally by Americans abroad. That
impression may not do much direct dam
sge In tourist countries, while Ameri-
cans are spending money freely and
paying for this self indulgence. but II IL
always harmful and the damage is very
direct when the impression II created
by statesmen In search of prospects
The remedy most universally applica-
be seems to be the study of history.
Thib Is especially true of Latin America
The Latin American is type as distinct
from the rest of mankind as In the
Russian or the Turk. Tho creole type,
that maintains the predominating infiu-
encr In Latin American society, was
nodded during the three centuries of
Spanish dominion In America, and to
understand and appreciate the good
Qualities of this type one must study
that history. The South Americans, too,
ara intensely national. and resent being
grouped In such q way as to destroy
their Individuality.
Sweeping reference to revolutions "in
those countrieS' does not set well in
Chile. where there has been but ono civil
war, and In Argentina, where chaotic
conditions disappeared long ago. Con-
iused mention OF Bolivar, San Martin,
Artigas and Sucre will do more harm
han good. They are distinct person-
ages in South America, and the names
bear different connotations in Argen-
una, Colombia, Uruguay and Peru
In the study OF this history care must
De taken not to use polluted sources
mere are now plenty Of books on South
america written by able scholars, whose
point OF view 10 worth having, but for q
long time 1t was the fashion for writers
70 search out and invent scandals, while
they kept discreetly silent about any
good they found. or attributed It to bad
motives. Rldicule and contempt for
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