The sun., 1919-01-31
CREDIT MEN HEAR
ADVICE FROM FORT
Federal Trade Commissioner
Discusses Future of Amer
lean Trade.
URGES CARE IN EXPORTS
Good Faith Alone Can Build
Up Foreign Business,
He Says.

Business men alive TO the problems
and opportunities Of after the war trade,
foreign and domestic, listened with the
keenest attention to an address which ].
Franklin Fort. Federal Trade Commits
soner, former Governor Of New Jersey.
delivered last night at the Hotel Aston
before the New York Credit Mems Aseo-
citation. More than 200 OF the 400
members Of the association attended the
monthly meeting.
Commissioner Fort was introduced by
e. 8. Boteler. who presided. His ad-
dress covered two principal topics BY
means OF which he sought to light Up
the future of American trade. AS re-
CARDS export trade he held that the es-
sential to success Is good faith in for
eign dealings and he laid down certain
principles for the guidance OF American
merchants and manufacturers. Con
corning domestic trade he recommended
such amendments to the sherman act
as would illuminate the twilight zone
and enable cooperation and fair price
fixing on the model supplied in the war
| by the Federal Trade Commission and
the War Industries Board.
The trouble with our country w tho
past" said Commissioner Fort. rs that
business men. generally speaking. nave
not given sufficient attention 10 export
trade. The domestic trade heretofore
has been so good. There are vast fields
| opening for export business now that
the war Is over. The countries that
have been actually engaged in this war
on the other side are naturally greatly
depleted in supplies OF various kinds.
These include not only machinery and
foo1stufrs but vast lines OF commodi
ties which must DO supplied as rapidly
as possible. The United States has
never had the opportunity to get hold
Of the foreign trade OF Europe and Asia
as II has to-day. hut the trouble with
US is that we may hinder rather than
help in export matters IL care Is not
taken IN all methods of this character
| in which our bus.ness men are engaged.
Fair Dealing Necessary.
'"rhe great problem will be to see that
our merchants do not use unfair meth
DDS In attempting to sell American
goods abroad II would be very easy to
make misrepresentation and improper
| invoicing which might injure rather
, than help our foreign trade. our bus
ness men must hold very high ideals in
| all that they do. There is Just n little
| feeling at present in certain countries
| that the United States Is forming asso-
| Citations under the Webb act which may
be used to relieve responsibilities under
the Sherman act and thereby put our
trade in a position which II is not
required TO observe ut home under the
Sherman act. One statement is that
We do not allow the trusts 20 operate
here but we do allow them 10 operate
abroad. The business men Of the coun-
try must bear in mind a few. principles
~. That they must meet conditions
which are seemingly necessary in foreign
trade. The packing of our goods BY
American business men must be In such
manner that II will he satisfactory 70
and conform with the requirements ot
| the countries 70 which they are shipped
J Much care Is needed for preparing the
goods for shipment to foreign ports, and
! it would seem that business men should
establish some methods OF instrucuns
1 shippers along this line.
! 80. That there must be no shipment oi
! goods on sample where the goods dc
/ not absolutely and In perfect good faith
comply with the sample uHon which they
! are sold
"a That there should be no similarity
in the names OF various shippers or as
sociatiors OF shippers by which it would
i-be possible to cause unfair methods OF