The sun., 1919-06-30
SELLERS MUST USE
BUYERS LANGUAGE
DR.. Rivas Discusses Impor-
tance Of Intelligent Adver-
Using in Trade.
APPROACH is. IMPORTANT
English Catalogues Often
Poorly Translated for South
American Market.

~ DR.. ANGEL CESAR RIvAs.
editor spomish Bplletin, Pan-Amertcon
linton,
DR.. Rivds, the author of this orticle,
q treu knoscn pubiicist and spos for
merry Under Secretovv Of FOREIGN AZ
foirs Of Vensrueld. He Is an authority
on International ldto aud has torttten
several books on this subject.
Language Is without doubt the in
dispensable means by which we come
10 know others and by which we make
others what we are. what we can do,
and what Is to be expected Of us II
Is no less necessary In order to arrive at
. comprehension of people with whom
we seek to establish relations OF any
sort. Up to now the chief stumbling
block to the progress Of Americanism
and consequently the development Of
conf Nercial relations between the United
State and the other countries of
Amer "a has arisen from the difference
Of Ian, usge.
Commerce is NOT merely a matter OF
exchange OF products or OF credits. An
understanding of the people with whom
we are to deal, a knowledge of their
needs. of their tastes. OF their habits
and of their peculiarities IL necessary.
Likewise they too require, since in q
great part commerce signifies rivalry,
that We reveal ourselves for what we
are, at least in the large. showing them
our strength, our capacity and how we
compare with the people OF other ma
tionalities.
Before buying and selling we must
advertise ourselves. not in the at
tenuated sense that the word has in
mercantile or newspaper language, but
In the broader and fuller meaning of
human relations and OF the intercourse
OF people.
II may be said that the need Of ad-
vertisement is reciprocal. that the work
ehould be shared by both equally, not
only by the producer of MANUFACTURED
goods but as we'll by him who offers
raw materials for sale.
To certain point this Is true, but
only up to a certain point. The manu-
facturer requires constantly raw ma
terials and such he looks for and OBJ
tains with little solicitation within or
without his own country. 1t is only
necessary that he make his needs known.
How to Get Together.
On account OF the difference existing
between manufacturing industry and ex-
tractive industry, whether the latter be-
agriculture or mining. those devoting
themselves to the former have imposed
upon them the initiative in the adver-
tlsement or the propaganda referred to.
The stage OF agriculture and mining
preeedes the stage of manufacture In
order that a people may arrive at the
latter stage 1t Is necessary that they
should first have attained the former,
or II not. to be able to dispose Of the
elements necessary 70 Mcguire the raw
tar shal,
soil. Even more. a truly manufacturing
people IL one that after having sup
piled its own needs overfiows with its
goods into the markets of others
Necessarily this presupposes an eco
nomic status in advance of the agricul-
tural or mining status assuming that
through the accumulation or supply of
capital, and of technical ability, there
may be created wealth not Immediately
needed, but which serves as a fund of
reserve for use when needed
In the position that the United States
and the Latin American countries oc-
cupy economically In relation to each
other, It IL the former which Is called
upon to advertise itself. shouldering a
double burden for itself and for the
others. We say a double burden, be-
oause to the end that the United States
may occupy in Latin America commerce,
the place which 1t should have. It is
necessary to tell its neighbors of the
south what 1t has and the terms of SALE
and must inform its OWL people what It
lie that the others need and how to sell
10 them. q
For the first part 1t is essential to know
the speech of the buyers as we'll as the
art OF advertising. Much progress rs
being made at present in the diffusion of
spanish and even of Portuguese in the
United States. all OF which shows with
out doubt that while the desired end has
not yet been attained the purpose exists.
From what has been already done we
may conclude without exaggeration that
Spanish will come to occupy the posi-
ton in the United States that German
occupied before the war. This Of itself
would be incalculable progress and a
force OF undoubted value. Thanks to a
knowledge Of the language. the people
OF the United States would find them
selves In a condition to know the Latin
Americans, to fathom their souls to
appreciate their qualities. to measure
their needs and to formulate adequate
plans to satisfy them. At the same
time with the requirement Ct the Span
ish and Portuguese tongues they would
be able TO make the Latin American see
directly and without any Intermediary
what in reality they themselves are,
the ends they seek and what advantages
the goods they fabricate may offer.
Good Translators Necessary.
Catalogues In Spanish and Portuguese
are unquestionably good advertising
mediums, but on condition that the
Spanish and Portuguese in which they
are written be in reality such. The
greater part OF the catalogues which are
sent from the United States to Latin
America are in truth filled from begin
ming 10 end with Spanish or Portuguese
words. but one cannot say that they are
written in Spanish or Portuguese. This
Is not paradox, for one only needs to
read these catalogues to be convinced
that. having been translated from some
Other language, they preserve the rules
OF construction peculiar to the language