The sun., 1919-10-06
by r. EUGENE AcKEnSIAN.


Editor Export Amoricdn Industries.
Written especially for the Latin Amcri
otsn Section Of THE SUN.
Complaints are being received from
merchants in South America that ex.
porters in the United States are neglect.
ing TO fill their orders, and there ara
pointed comments regarding our pro-
pensity to seek foreign markets when
we have an overproduction, but to en-
tirely neglect them when we can sell
our product at home.
or course. II is well known fac,
that nearly every industry in the United
States finds that II can sell its output
and more-in the country. Manufac
turers are able to book orders months
ahead, which fact assures them of ca.
pacity production without bothering
about overseas markets. The shortsieht.
edness OF such a policy is so apparent
that 1t calls for little comment. We
have been literally lifted into the place
we hold to-day, as a world supply cen
tire, and unless we do something q
maintain that position we are going tc
Great Britain, Germany, France. anG
Italy.
Despite labor disturbances, unfavor.
able trade balances. shrunlien value o.
their money, and general upheaval
politically and economically, Great Brit
ain and Germany are already giving the
United States keen competition in South
America. Germany is buying from the
United States. or is drawing on stores
OF British and French materialA which
were purchased Immediately on the
signing of the armistice, when values
took temporary tumble, and she Is
selling them ut low prices throughout
South America. There arc instances 20
ported where German importers ir
Argentine, Brazil. Peru and Chile have
bought from American and British
houses. and have then resold to theil
customers at a lower price than they
paid. and at low term credits.
Germans Far Sighted.
Rather desperate business, 1t is ad
mitted. but profitable in the long run
for the German merchants in Soutl
America understand their clientele anC
they are looking forward to permanent
and increasing business relations witt
them. The Germans have any amour
Va ihOhCy III tUtlT DdHhb scattered
throughout South America. and there Il
little doubt that they will play larg,
part in the future development Of tina
continent.
Great Britain is competing activel,
against the United States. In fact Their
Is keener competition between the rrit
ish and the Americans than there is be
tween the Germans and the British o
the Germans and the Americans Th
war is over now. despite the fact tina
the peace treaty has not been ratified
and there Is no more pertinent sign o
this than the fact that La Union, tn
Buenos Ayres newspaper. which was tn
centre of German propaganda in Soutl
America, is now receiving an American
press service-and that the press ser
vice was granted them at the recon
mendation of the American Chamber o
Commerce in Buenos Ayres.
One Of the elements which is malSini
Great Britain a dangerous competito
Is the fact that the British pound ha
fallen in value In nearly all of tn
countries OF South America, whereas TIL
dollar is either at par or at a premium
British merchants who have agents il
the United States are able to buy OF
extended credits here and sell in Soutl
America at a price lower than we cal
accept. They are doing 1t too. accept
ing prices which leave little or no mar
gin of profit but which do help to re
store trade relations with old customers
The American exporter. despite thi
compe ition. is In a better condition
to-day than he has ever been. Ever,
element OF success for which he for
merly Ilamored are his for the asking
A few years ago there was complain
because the consular service was no
organized on a business basis, and be
cause there was no definite trade dat;
available for the man who wanted to g.
after business in South America. Their