South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1920-08-22
SELLING FRAUDS
GOT u S. IN BAD
WITH ARGENTINE
So Merchants Wait Now I'm
til Europe is on Its
Feet.

A brother salesman who spent
eight months I'm Buenos Aires invcs-
tigating prospects there. has written
The Export Salesman a most inter-
csting letter on Argentine market
conditions as he found them. from
which the following is taken.
In the first place the European
nations were pioneers in recognizing
trade opportunities in South Amer
lea and begun early 20 cater 10 their
demands AS a result the average
Argentine merchant has a warm
spot in his heart for any goods Of
land France and Germany sought
faithfully, exactly according 20 spe-
cifcauons. advanced longtime cred
iss. and did all in their power TO
promote trade and good feeling,
while IL was possible. Now that
these countries are incapaCitated
are we expected 20 forget imme-
diatcIy and allow another country
10 usurp that place in our estna-
ton. to make capital Of the misfor-
tunes OF others2 We are duty bound
TO give the European nations falr
chance 10 regain their former POSI-
ton. II the United states wins out
i'm the long run by fair competition
and faithful. altruisuc service. all
well and good. For the present we
are merely biding our time until the
European countries get on their
feet. DO YOU think we arc unfair ?
This explains the general attitude
of the merchants and the nature Of
the questions they put TO our sales
men.
Furthermore. this preference for
ElIrOpcan goods was made stronger
during the war BY the presumption
OF a prejudice against the United
States firms. There were many un-
principled = statesmen, free-lance
agents usually. who visited Argen-
tina during the four years OF war
and took advantage OF their credul-
ity and acute need for supplies.
These AGENTS would misrepresent
their goods. swindle and sometimes
take partial payment for bill OF
goods manufactured by a well
known house, which the agent
claimed 70 represent, and that IS all
that the merchant would ever hear
Of the affair. There were two in
stances. of this swindle gamb which
were told TO me by the merchants IN
Buenos Aires. One salesman
claimed 10 Represent the - Hat
company and displayed gorgeous
samples. This company was so
well known for their high class
product. for they already had done
n large business in this market, that
the merchants were only too glad
TO place orders on the partial pay
ment in advance-balance three
months basis" Up TO the date /
left Buenos Aires nothing had since
been heard OF the man. The -
Hat company had assured the mer-
chants that they had sent no sales
man down there during the war and
regretted very much that the i'm
poster had caused the Buenos Aires
dealers such losses and also regret
ted the psychological. If not actual
effect il might have on their future
business in that territory,
The other case was whore a sales
man purporting TO represent the
Hosiery company. took large
orders and shipped inferior goods.
The socks were not mates, faulty in
weave, soiled-in fact-were not the
at all. They were merely sec
onds which some Snapper had
bought up az fire SAM and palmed
or on his unsuspecting neighbor In
South America. He, too, was an