New-York tribune., 1919-12-10
Would Educate
Foreign Buyers
ToU. S. Standards
Timken Detroit Axle Co.
Urges Cooperative Adver-
tising to Demonstrate Eff
cheney of U. S. Products

American manufacturers with am
b.tions to capture the markets of the
world by no means unanimously ac-
perts that it will be necessary to
capitulate to the prejudices Of foreign
buyers. Although it is argued that III
the pre-war days Great Britain, France
and Germany fourished overseas by
giving the foreigners precisely what
they wanted, some Americans contend
that the better way would be to educate
other peoples up to American stand
ards, wherever they are superior. Ii
is felt that the present position of the
United States as the worlds great
reservoir of raw material. production
facilities. e. Il and credit would enable
domestic producers successfully to ir-
trOduce their own methods abroad.
In various industries this debate is
now going on. A reputation of the
suggestion thai Americans should make
whatever changes in their products
that are neces sary to meet the whimJ
of foreign customers is made by the
Timken Detroit Axle Company in a
statement on the subject prepared for
The Tribune.
Domestic Trade vs.. Foreign
at has been said," according to this
important manufacturer of automobile
parts, chat American manufacturers
have not captured their share of the
ioreign trade because they do not
cater to local prejudces. while the
Germans, French, Italian and English
manufacturers make these concessions
and give the people what they want
With the domestic demands absorbing
cars as fast as they can be produced
hn Ar,,n ><<o
present worrying about the South
American, Australian, and continental
European trade, but doubtless the time
will come when he will be an aggrcs-
sive competitor.
"Will he sacrifice his tried and de-
pendable method and design to meet
the Ito him) freakish lot of foreign
customers? Or will he endeavor by ad-
vertising and craftsmanship to over
come this obstacle and continue to
build his car according to the accepted
idea of American eN ineers? Ameri-
can cars are best because they are
ings, wheels. engines, springs, carbu,et-
ors, magnetors, radiators and the run-
dreds of other parts are manufactured
by companies which have spent years
in perfecting and producing their par
ticular spec atty.
Saturation Point Distant
ut would seem, therefore, that CO.
operative advertising. demonstration
and salesman campaign would be the
least expensive and most efficient way
of educating foreign countries, to prove
to them that American II ethods are de-
signed to give to the motorists the best
car for the least money"
Regarding prosperity in the industry
the company says: "Seven million six
hundred thousand automobile registra-
tions in the United States for 1919 sets
q new production record, and the much
feared 'saturation' point seems to be
further away than ever for pract cally
every factory in the country is behind
in it's orders, and thousands are buying
used cars because they cannot get new
ones of their choice. This enormous
production has been made possible only
because of the American idea of stand
ardization and quantity output"
The task of formulating a policy on
this matter in this industry will be
taken up at the next annual convention
of the members of the Motor and Ac-
cessory Manufacturers Association
which will be held at the 9th Coast Ar
tllery Armory from January to 10.