Greenwood daily commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1919-1926, 1920-03-27

/ "AS Siio~+oSu III pi OiiOtiOH ana O6V-
elopment activities, is not an abstruse
form of Big Business which
concerns only favored few
wealthy corporations. Congress sees
the proper expension of for
eign trade as the big opportunity and
destiny Of this nation-and it affects
directly each state, city and home. So
Congress, through appropriat tions and
other legislation, is strengthening the
position of this country in foreign
| trade.
Scarcely two years ago, on April
10, 1918, the United States-as a de-
tenslve trade measure, especially de-
| signed to combat the German cartel
| system-Wrote on the statute books
the Webb Pomerene Act, which per-
mlts IN export trade such combina-
tions as are forbidden in domestic
commerce under the Sherman anti
trust law of 1890 and the Clayton act
of 1914. Under authority given in
this act Al export associations have
been formed, comprising TO individ-
ual business concerns, with 9O6 plants
in AZ states, according to the latest
tabulated reports to the Federal Trade
Commission which is charged with ad-
ministering this act
Not only are these export associa-
tions furnishing market for the sur
plus production of farms, mines, lum-
ber camps, and manufacturing estab-
hshments, but the 906 plants operat-
ed by the 71O associated business con-
Germs furnish direct employment to
hundreds of thousands men and wo-
men. These export associations ship
American-made goods to all the mar
kets Of the world, and are constantly
increasing their associate membership
as we'll as their overseas markets.
These concerns that are thus getting
share of the export trade are for
the most part relatively small and
could never have been able to adver-
tise their goods in foreign markets,
to say nothing of the paying the ex-
penses of maintaining representatives
in all the important markets of the
world. Through the export associa-
tions organized under the Webb-Pom-
creme Act they are able to fix prices
to meet the competition of foreign
rivals in the worlds market places.
Every section of the country is
sharing in this business; in Arizona
there is one office and II plants; in
New York 1872 offices and 10 plants;
in Florida 6 offices and 10 plants; in
Indiana % offices and "a plants; in
Texas 13 offices and 1 plants; in Vir-
ginia II offices and 21 plants; in
Maine 3 offices and "a plants; in New
Jersey offices and Is plants.
The products by states show a pic
ture of the scope of this export bus
mess: California, supplying lumber,
hardware, chemicals, fertilizer and
general merchandise; Indiana, supply
ing lumber, clothes pins, meat pack
ing, canned foods, wood manufactures,
corn products, flour, iron steel; Mas
sachusetts, textiles, paper, hardware,
fertilizer, soda pulp; Tennessee, cop
per, tanning materials, phosphate,
lumber fertilizer and soda pulp.
The way in which the export asso-
Citations formed less than two years
ago as a brand-new agency in AM
erican business have built up sales in
foreign markets is shown in reports
to the Federal Trade Commission. For
example, the Redwood Export Com
pany, San Francisco, from June 1918
to October 1919, did 81 81 900 export
trade; the Consolidated Steel Corpor-
alton New York, exported in excess
of $7,OO0,O00 worth in about year.
Business leaders are very anxious
to know how the Webb-Pomerene Act
is working out in the competition for
world trade after the war. Trade
Commissioner Houston Thompson,
who has been in direct charge of the
export trade division of the Federal
Trade Commission, is preparing to
discuss the law and it's functions at
the Seventh National Foreign Trade
Council in San Francisco May IL to
Is.
Under the supervision of the Fed
eral Trade Commission staff of ira
ined economists and lawyers are CIV
ing daily attention to inquiries that
come from all parts of the country
for information in connection with
this act They advise with represen-
tatives of export association and 9TH
ers interested in the law.
Because dislocation of trade and in
dustry has been brought about by the
war, and economic condition are un-
dergoing kaleidoscope changes in the
foreign markets where American bus
mess relations have been established.
Which are likely at any time to up
set competitive trade conditions
the Federal Trade Commission thro
ugh it's export trade division is keep
ing in close touch with all develop
ments in international trade.
This phase of work includes: COM
narrative Investigations of domestic