The Washington herald., 1919-02-10
AMERICA SEEKS
FOREIGN TRADE
IN new FIELDS
Special Agents to Be Sta
toned in Norway, Greece
and Africa.

America Is not letting the grass
grow under her feet in searching out
new markets for her goods and stimu-
lating renewed buying in those marts
thrown open to her when Europe shut
down shop to go to war
Every steamer leaving America car
ries trained investigators sent by the
government and by the far-sighted
American manufacturers to report on
what the peoples of the four ends OF
the earth want to buy.
Special Fund Provided.
At this time the Department of Com
merce is expending $4,000 from the
special fund Of President Wilson in
this work. The cost Of the present
governmental working force in for
eiEn fields is approximately $4,000.
Within four months greatly increased
appropriations to be voted for the
work by Congress will probably double
the field army Of trade boosters for
Americas products.
Within the last few weeks two new
commercial attaches have been sent to
Rome and to Madrid, upon the inv
tatiOn Of Italy and Spain. Within a
few days DR.. l.. [. Van Norman will
depart for Rumania to report on the
trade prospects in the Balkans.
The work Of the trade commissions is
varied. In the Far East at this time.
49, fF0WF
tigating ports and transport facilities,
a commissioner is studying the min
eral resources and a survey of the
Dutch East Indies is being carried
forward.
For the year which ends with the
first Of July the Department Of Com
merce has $4,000 for the work Of
trade promotion. For the year be-
ginning July next, it is practically
certain that $3.50 600 will be available.
officials believe the machinery for
stimulation in interest for American
goods can be more than doubled in
capacity through larger funds prom
ised
Under the new trade plans being
formulated, special experts will be
stationed at Christiana- Athens and in
Belgium. But while the work OF in
vestigation will be carried on in all
European centers. 1t appears certain
that one Of the most important fields
Of operation will be the Far East.
Under the appropriation granted for
the present year, 10000 was given for
trade work in Latin-America and
$4,000 for the Far East The new
fund TO be available soon will leave
the South American fund at the same
figure but doubles the amount to be
used in the East A substantial in
rrease will also be made in the amount
II money to be invested in develop
rnE South African markets. A special
commissioner has been sent to Cape
Town to direct this work.
Nor is all the trade promotion work
m the hands Of the government,
Many Of the leaders in trade are not
hesitating to send men from their own
organiza tons to study the needs of
he peoples Of the world. Automobile
manufacturers, electrical device manu-
sacturers, makers of machinery of all
~Orts, producers of shoes and dress
goods are among those who are send
nE out feelers in the form of young
men coached to study a customers
leeds before trying to sell him wares.
Seek Foreign Trade.
According to the officials of the
department. of Commerce. more
american sAlesmen for American
goods are on foreign soil. or en-
QUITE, than ever before. From the
tart of the European war American
manufacturers have sought to keep
heir factories running at full steam
finding new fields for their goods.
Though this tendency has been
.rore notable since 1914, official fig
res show that the signing of the
rmistice greatly augmented the
umber Of investigators sent to ex-
mine into conditions surrounding a
rgIe trade.
Already a number of reports are
ming back to this country. Many
them are published in pamphlet
rm by the government. One OF
most interesting reports prOmis-
for an early date is that to be
omitted by a widely known adver-
ing expert who has been touring
tin-American countries studying
Farious advertising mediums
silable and estimating by Ameri-
s,andards their values to the ad-
rtiser. 1t is recognized that Amer
1erchants will not hesitate TO
- the way for American goods
q strong advertising copy. and il
Fored that the forthcoming ad-
t4s.ng surveys will prove a low
al factor toward success Of the
iean operations.