Evening star., 1920-11-07

NoW0e can the mluQ q eye Ve
used to better advantage than in over
seas trade. Time
Time and Money that cannot be
recalled and large
May Be Saved. sums Of money
can be saved for tho American manu-
facturer or exporter or importer. and
he can secure moro stable and profit
able business by studying conditions
and adapting his methods to the cir
cumstances in each particular market
rather than by taking headlong
jump.
Strangely enough, American busf-
meas, as a whole, in its enthusiasm to
take part in world commerce has
overlooked some very obvious essen
tials. and neglected some very patent
ways in which foreign trade can
best be handled. One thing must be
understood at the very first. foreign
buying and selling and bartering is
far different game than being 'in
business in your home country.
In the impending struggle with ex-
perienced and capable national COM
petitors. the most important single
element in the promotion and ex-
tension of American trade interests
lies in the selection and training OF
high-grade foreign travelling repre-
sentatives of unquestioned American
ideas and ideals. This Is emphasized
by Trade Commissioner Eliot G.
Mears, who points out that this factor
is of decided value in the near east
and those other world areas prac-
tically unknown at the present time
to the rank and file Of American for
eign trade enterprises.
The two great mistakes now being
made are the general choice OF a
foreigner Of local origin
Two Chief or Of a foreigner who
merely speaks any Ian
MISTAKES. guage other than Eng
|lish, irrespective OF its use in the par
ticular locality. Trade Commissioner
Mears recalls that he met in Greece
more than one American commercial
traveller who was obviously selected
because Of his ability to speak Span
ish. Spanish, however, is not UNDER
stood in Greece except by the i'm
portant commercial Jewish element in
Saloniki, which speaks. in addition to
q peculiar rJudaeo-Spanish. also Greek.
Turkish. Italian, French. and often
German and English. More striking
still was the number OF Russians sent
to constantinople. who. strangely
enough, did not speak either French
Greek. Armenian or Turkish.
An Armenian or Greek or Jew or
Turk, irrespective Of whether ne mas
been naturalized or whether ne rep
pany, is never regarded In CONNER
cial circles abroad as an American.
He is still q Levantine. and business
negotiations with him are conducted
on that plane.
That is one example Of how using
American success in foreign COM
merce. Here is another-co-opera-
ton with American banks:
The quoting of export goods IN
dollars might: upon first tnooEns,
goods going to important markets
where American banks exist the
practice may or may not Denent
American banking interests. 1t is
certain. however. that in the case Of
goods going to less important mar
kets where there is no American
bank-for example, Syria and Persiar--
the practice is detrimental to Ameri-
can banking interests. Incidentally,
it both Inconvenience and Injuries
the Syrian and Persian importers and
tends to bring about loss OF future
orders from the United States
Ht
II American goods going to Syria
are quoted in dollars the chances
are that the funds
Exchange and paid by the Syrian
importer win be
BANK 1I0hss' transferred from
Beirut to Paris ana later from Paris
to New York by French banks. II
the goods are quoted in francs. on
the other hand. It 10 possible for the
American exporter to designate IN
American hank in Paris to receive
the funds bought bY the Syrian Inn
porter from the French bank In