The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1920-02-02
Our Partnership With Latin
y,,n,.
America

The Pan American conference, now
in session in Washington stands out
as the most significant of its kind
ever held. declares the Atlanta Journal
(Dem.) 1T represents good will no
less than business enterprise. and
through its interchange of counsel and
establishment OF cooperative plans 1t
will make for still closer friendship be-
tween the Americas"
South America is faced with the
problem of financing its trade and in
dustry, the United States seeks an out
let for its manufactured products, and
il also requires many raw materials
produced in the South American coun-
tries. 1t is the purpose OF the finan-
cial conference to join these interests
the United States furnishing financial
resources, and in return capturing the
bulk of the South American trade in
stead OF letting 1t go to Europe,
Some difficulties are pointed out by
the Detroit Free Press Qnd.), which
says
ture our share Of South American
business. When the Germans entered
the field they found British goods on
sale everywhere and in great demand,
Their only chance was to give better
service. They learned what the natives
wanted and they gave It to them. They
sent out young men who could speak
to the natives in Spanish and who mar
ried into some Of the best families,
| thereby securing an influence that en-
abled them to push the goods Of their
| firm Lastly, they quoted the price or
their goods delivered to the purchas ,r
| in his own warehouse, and gave him all
the time he needed to pay for them,
! Where special facilities were needed
| German banks were established"
This. the same authority tells us, was
'in marked contrast to the British
method. The British manufacturer
made his goods as he had been accus-
toned to make them, and he would not
change his methods to suit any pur-
| chaser. He quoted prices f. o. b. Lon
don or Liverpool Lastly. the men he
sent out as agents did not mix with
the native population. No wonder the
Germans cut deeply into what ha d
The Indianapolis Star lind. Rep.) sug-
gests that "out tactless sales methods
have been to blame for past failures In
that field, while the European bust
ness man employed the slower hut>mcre
effective Latin American practices,
urges that Americans show greater
consideration for their prospective Gus
toners"
Nevertheless. as the Pittsburgh Sur
(Dem.) says, American products are
supreme in South America =. . II
1917 American imports ranked first ii
10 Ldtlu : dteS, ana seventeen OF oul
sister republics exported to us more
goods than to any other land" Blu
the st. Louis Globe Democrat (Rep.
warns that "the war has accomplished
more in that direction in four year
than perhaps could have been accom-
plished in a quarter of centur!
lately Latin America has not liked u
and has not been eager to associate
with us in any manner. e.. Slowl
and laboriously the Pan American
Union has been working to bring thes
countries into closer association witt
us and to better understanding O
This Pan. American Union, accordin
to the Oklahoma City Oklahoma
: | Dem) was organized in 1Ss9-9O a
Washington and was first known as tn
Bureau of American Republics. TIL
: second meeting was held in Mexie
Janeiro in 1906, and the fourth at Bue
| nos Aires in 1910, with the nam
. changed to Pan American Union TIL
l various governments support the unio
. with quotas based on population. TIL
I governing board Is made up of the sec
$ rotary of state of the United States
l who serves as chairman ex-officio, an
| the Washington diplomatic representa-
2 tives of the other American countries.
e The present conference Is held unde
. the auspices of this organization. whic
has handsome building at Washing
$ ton.
t One obstacle to our South America
trade has been our lack of merchar
marine. Billions of dollars OF wha
e were originally American goods" say
: the Bangor Commercial Qnd) went [
r South America through Liverpool
British bottoms and as British goods.
S "A regular line service" as the Nash
= vile Tennessean Qnd Dem) say
= would aid in promoting better rels
G tions between the two Americas" an
the New Orleans Times Picayune Gin,
r Dem) adds that ''it is not sufficier