Evening star., 1920-02-22
ADVANCE AGENT FOR UNCLE SAM

IVA UNVU0 NAM
had not always been unsatisfactory.
Most American chambers OF COM
merce in foreign land. are long
way OF, and when . business man
s.Ts s.a Ss o od Sf ca he
wonders II It's all worth while. Lack
ing definite information as to their
work. he 10 rather prone to believe
that old Qeneral Enthusiasm - In
the saddle again. travelling fast 1nd
70 complicate matters, not all these
chambers Of commerce can qualify as
mem bership salesmen
why don't they talk more business
and less patriotism r asked big cot
ton goods exporter after reading q
perfectlyswiliing 10 be convinced. but
i viii take business argument to do
An ardent worker in a new Ameri-
can organization. back home for q
the constant talk Of service that greeted
him everywhere. He willingly agreed
that II was a good thing to talk about,
but insisted that some consideration
ought to bs conosded 70 national in
man or the chamber that 10 putting
the cart before the horse. J don't care
to argue; but one thing 10 certain
they've got to get together II they ex-
pect to travel anywhere. Perhaps
the trouble could be Strengthened out
little more about the other. Chamber
of commerce success depends on two
fthings-men. and money. II the peo-
Pile back home. after satisfying them
solves 80 to the character OF the men
nSa nS are o runnnS an5 an ,S.s S1ss os
the high privilege Of promoting the
American idea in foreign parts, Isbe-e
lieve success would be assured. both,
for tho operation .of the national In
1tsrests It typifss ana for the man
.e1s that viii sSew Aossassascsnss p 1as
| .Is:s nb to the American ,o,sssni,s.a-
fion abroad 70 begin by showing its
plans are in the hands Of real Amer
ican business men. who when they
moter Of national interests will see
that it also yields specific service to
individual Americans. Anyway, when
q business man insists on dsn1onstra-
ton Of ability to deliver goods ~ q
e tis Il: saRHSa he ss Sssn.
Der ofscommerce in South America or
China does not require q confirmed
bank credit in its favor before trying
to assist any and all American inter.
ests IN their trade problems"
This man IL the representative Of Z
large and Successful sxportins housA.
has spent much
No Working af time abroad and
knows the for
Cress Iurposes. .irn field arst
hand. He Is certain that there would
the people back home understood the
real situation. The biggest difficulty.
he said, is the fAct that the average
American business colony IN foreign
city Il small. very small, indeed, COM
pared with those Of other nationali-
ties. Consequently the colony, itself,
cannot finance IN. organization that
win amount to much, There are only
two places to get needed money-the
people back homo and the business
men Of the foreign colony interested
in American trade. ....s-
: There 10 no denying that support
from the United states has been given
sparinsiy ana often grudgingly. In
fact, some American chambers OF
commerce have recognised this when
they organised and have therefore
granted active membership to citi-
zens Of other countries. II our busi.
ness men want American chambers
of commerce abroad to be fully and
completely American. they will have
g.
financially independent.
It has taken . long time to convince
some men in this country OF the
value Of chambers Of commerce. Some
people DO not really want to be con- w..
disinciined to work with others. But
another important factor 10 the type
Of commercial organisation that ex-
poets q receipt for dues, with possibly
An occasional banquet. to bridge the
Our foreign chambers of commerce
cannot be Jumped together and all be
given the same label wholesale praise
is ~ unjustined as Wholesale criticism:
sUe sUoce,sfui WORK; Stners are just
starting out on their careers. What
each asks. and has . right to expect.
is fair consideration. Of its claims tor
support '1s # our fault II you don't
make use OF the service We onerE
asks one American chamber OF com
merce in Z letter to its membs
What do you think We are doing
with the money you pay for member
ship; II not using i to provide the
This inquiry may explain why some
business men do not get service
when they become members Of American
chambers Of commerce abroad; they do
not get 1t because they do not ask for 1t.
"I have no excuse to offer for the
chamber Of commerce that neither
furnishes service nor presents def
mite plans" said q manufacturer who
has done much to further export
trade work. and who IL keen1y inter-
ested in commercial organization
work. Every organisation from the
very day 1t is formed can perform
some service of distinct value to
American business. and II 1t neglects
this opportunity. and has only a
vague ana misty idea of its future
usefulness, 1t deserves little support
and gets what It deserves. At the
same time have no patience With
the business man who fails to utilize
the service for which he 10 paying
and then criticises the organisation
for doing nothing for him."
-" "a WILL P. KENNEDY.