The Washington herald., 1920-04-08
Woeful Ignorance of All Mechanics
Characteristic of South Americans;
WhoMustBe I Taughtas WeNasSold

lessee. When it was finally opened
the elevators were out of commits
sion balf the time. and the NO
Funciona" sign became almost part
of the equipment. The management
could not see why machinery should
deteriorate when il wasn't being
used at all. Those elevators were
sold through a big importing house
which is the only representative OF
the American manufacturers in that
country, and representation has
never extended to the manufacture
ers' mechanical department. Along
with our elevators, Latin America
ought TO have our upkeep and me-
chanical training. of course. and It
also needs our elevator insurance
and inspection. something that
seems to be entirely unknown.
Automobile tires are another il
lustration. Practically all of them
have come from the United States
since the war. Nothing gives bet
ter value for intelligent upkeep
than an automobile tire. But not
one tire in twenty throughout Latin
America is given the simple upkeep
of proper imitation. Forty to fifty
pounds pressure is common on big
tires that need eighty. and mileage
is burned up uselessly. Our tire
manufacturers have established
their own sales branches in many
places, but there is a job of educa-
ton as well as selling ahead of
them. If they will understand that
Latin America needs teaching. and
Is also teachable, mileage and serv-
Ice can undoubtedly be made the
basis for holding much of the tire
business that we came into So sud
denly when European products were
cut off.
Determined TO Learn.
Latin America is not only teach
able in mechanical matters, but has
a new determination to learn. Ev-
erywhere one finds the desire for
industries and the substitution of
machinery and large scale produc-
tion for the primitive agriculture OF
the southern countries. Today the
lusty peasant and Indian whack the
soil with ponderous hoes and culti-
vate crops with tho machete. To-
morrow they will be using tractors
and gang plows. Shortage of labor
and area of country make modern
methods necessary, for Latin-Ameri-
can conditions are much like our
own.
Intent mostly on selling, and often
through agents who are chiefly
traders, our farm implement manu-
facturers have failed to study agri-
cultural conditions in the different
countries and adapt equipment to
their special requirements.
In Peru. for example, cotton is not
planted each season, as with. us, but
left standing in the fields, bearing
FOR six or. seven years. The rows
are widely spaced, 1.3 meters. or
more than four feet. The cotton
belt now under cultivation is all ir-
rigated land. 1t needs vigorous cul-
tivation because the surface hard
ems. No cultivator designed to work
two rows at once, with either horse
or tractor. and high enough to clear
the plants, has yet been placed on
the market. American manufac-
turers simply offer the Peruvian
planter implements designed for our
own farming conditions. Such
cultivator would also be useful for
sugar cane, another big crop in
Peru.
An American on the rainless coast
VI IcTu nau pccn pTeSeHleu WIN q
cane umbrella by his Office staff be-
fore departure. He carried 1t about
by way of appreciation. One day
In the Plaza a Peruvian respectfully
asked what this contrivance was
the, Latin-American expects ingen-
ious things Of Yankees. When shown
how II works. and lifting 1t, the fas-
cinated caballero held 1t over his
head, walking up and down. Then
saying. Pardon. Senor-a momen-
tito" he disappeared. to return a
few minutes later with a dozen
friends. who marveled at the novel
ty. Finally the Peruvian offered
the. Yankee SIS for this remarkable
contriyance, so he could take 1t into
the country.
When things refuse to function In
Latin America II Is for lack of me-
chanical knowledge rather than any
lack of Intelligence or interest in
mechanical things. The Latin-Amer-
lean cousin, more and more. Is drop
ping poetry to take up engineering,
and turning from Europe TO US for
practical things So we have a job
OF teaching as well as selling,
tcopyrght. 1sso. by Public Ledger co.,