El Nuevo mexicano., 1919-04-10
AMERICAN TRADE
WILL HOLD OWN
Commercial Relations
With Argentina to be
Satisfactory

market conditions and methods in
Argentine has convinced me that, so
far as this particular country is CON
cernnh, American trade viii continue
for many years to hold its own"
Robert s. Barrett commercial at
tache to the United States embassy
in Buenos Aires, declared today in a
report to the bureau OF foreign and
domestic commerce.
in answering the most pertinent
question" now in the minds OF bust
ness men of the United States
whether this country can retain the
commercial prestige gained during
the war-Mr. Barrett found numerous
reasons Tor optimism. He said firms
in the United States were coming
to a better understanding of their
South American trade because they
were studying its needs. Increased
credit facilities are being arranged
and closer relations achieved by the
establishment of branch houses m
Latin-America and buying offices in
the United States.
He warned, however, that compet-
tive freight rates, trained men, abb
solute honesty and Investment IN
South American securities, were me-
cessary to maintain the position
which United States goods now hold
in the countries to the south Of the
equator. xl6St
while perhaps the United States
percentage of the total imports into
Argentina may not be SO large as It
has been in the past four years, dur
ing which competition from Euro
pean countries was greatly affected
by the war, the value Of its exports
to Argentina will be larger in the
next few years than ever before"
Mr.. Barrett said.
1T cannot be expected that the
United States will continue to sun
ply Argentina with the greater part
of its imports Of cotton and WOODEN
goods, glassware, chinaware, drugs
heavy chemicals, cardboard and GER
tain raw materials, when normal
conditions are restored in Europe,
but, on the other hand, imports Of
such goods as iron and steel, lumber,
petroleum products, machinery, furn-
it1re, boots and shoes, cement, auto
mobiles, office supplies and special
ties, in which America had a large
part before the war and which have
been reduced by war conditions, viii
be greatly increased.
I'm passing, it may be noted that
in 1917 the United States supplied
Argentina with goods valued at $780,
25h949 Omitted States currency, orr.
Sc per cent of the total imports. Its
nearest competitor was the United
Kingdom, whose exports to the Ar
genuine were valued at $50. 080822.
There are several fundamental
reasons which are responsible for
this conclusion: . II
American manufacturers and ex5
porters are beginning to know aud
to meet the requirement of the Ar
gentine buyer. The old system of
trying to force goods which conform
ed to the demands of the market in
the United States upon the people of
this country is passing away and nn
intelligent effort is being made toll
supply the things which meet the
tastes and desires of the consuming |
public. Careful studies of the MARKET
been made within the past
years, not only by United States
government agencies, but by indiv-
idual manufacturers.
'sThe establishment by two of the,l
most important national banks OF /,
the United States of branches in the
Argentine, and the general adoption
of trade acoeptances, have made the
Financing of shipments to and from 4
the Argentine much easier and given
the American manufacturer an op-lIl
portunity to grant necessary credits !
to compete with other countries. Ar
g%entina, like all new countries, rel (
quires long credits. If
American concerns are establish
their own branch houses or d.
rect agencies in Argentina to conduct l
sales. Within the last two years
in this direction has been
great, but it is expected that when K
the companies in the United States I
now being organized under the prof. j
of the Webb law are estab- /
lished in foreign countries, a large j
increase in their number will be /
Large Argentine concerns
many of them controlled by Euro
pean capital, are locating permanent {
buyers in the United States"
Turning from the optimistic side
Of the development of American trade 4
In the Argentine, Mr.. Barrett pointed 3
out a few things which will be neces- !
If manufacturers in the United I
States are to continue to occupy an I
important part in this market. +
First" he said, "the United States /
must be placed on q parity with Eu-
ropean nations in the matter OF ship 1
ping and freight rates. Now that
the war is over there is a tendency
to revert to old conditions. Establish 4
of regular lines Of steamers {
both for freight and passengers. be- d
tweez the United States and the 4
River Plate is most essential. i
Manufacturers in the United States
train young men for foreignIl
and give them sufficient in-
ducaments to live permanently ink
countries. One OF the most S
disUouraging features Hpf Dur over Ii
seas trade Is the lack Of competent 2
men to fill important positions
IS
Some plan must be adopted by 5
which the foreign buyer may be pro-s
tected against the unreliable br uns
s%crttpulous commission merchant or ii
manufacturer. Nothing has so harmed 1
American trade during the past few :
uuara ae fha aofinu of gone onnlle