The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1921-09-22
Hoover's Envoy to Make Six
Months Tour for Survey
OF Conditions.
Big OPPORTUNITY IN india
=. r. Eldridae. Representative OF
Secretary Of Commerce, Says Trade
Situation In Philippines VIII
Be Better Wh.n Woods
Report Is Made.

Chicago. Sept. i9.-Fnr.renching opn
portunities for American trade In
Chlnn. India and the Dutch East In
dies nre at hand and beckoning the
merchants ~ the Unlted States. ac-
cording to b. H. Eldridge, author and
personal representative Of Secretary
of Commerce Hoover, who arrived IN
Chicago on his way to san Francisco.
where he will embark for the Orient
to make general survey Of trade
conditions
Mr. Eldrldgc's assignment by his
chief to find out what has been hold
ing up the renewal uf American orders
for merchandise IN the east Is the first
one ever given by secretary of com
mcrce. II includes the investigation
Of conditions of trade In the distrib-
uting points of Yokohama, Kobe.
Shanghai. Manila. Surnbaya, Slnga-
pore, Colombo. Calcutta, Delhi and
Bombay.
Work TO Occupy SIX Months.
"It will take all Of six months for
the survey" Mr.. Eldridge said. AT
the various points | am 10 investigate,
all of which are seaports, IL Is possible
TO determine pretty fairly the demand
from the interior OF the countries,
thereby gauging the whole situation.
AT present America has the good
will of China ana at least the passive
good will Of India. This, however. Is
Of little avail. since We are not In "A
position to supply cotton goods, ma
chinery and the like, should We be
called upon Ia 81 do. America. as re-
CARDS It's trade with the Orient, IL
like great department store with
out telephones or delivery trucks.
"Our greatest need In China and
similarly In India is American mer-
chant houses. We need a dozen houses
at each OF the points ] am TO visit. AT
present there are but two or three
good American firms In the entire Far
East.
China's Great Problem.
AT present the problem In China
Is to push some Of the millions of her
An, ,noo@S population westward, So
cient foodstuffs for themselves. Until
this is done the foreign purchasing
power per capita Of the Chinese can
mot he materially raised.
Approximately $3.50 is the present
foreign purchasing power per capita
Of China. This In comparison tn Aus
tralia's So per capita. Figure the
thing out. II We could increase the
per capita demand 30 cents. II would
mean an increase In foreign trade Of
over S2O0,O0O.OOO.
America gets about IL per cent OF
the foreign trade of China. 1t should
get more. therefore the survey to see
what can he done about II.
Big Opportunity in India.
conditions IN India are ripe for
America 10 obtain more of that cuun-
try's trade than Il has been getting.
Statistics show we get only 10 per
cent now. England gets "a per cent
and japan Il per cent But things
will be different. India Is waking up
TO many things"
Mr.. Eldridge Expressed the belief
that the passage Of the China trade
act, which is 10 be brought up when
the senate conyenes September II,
would put American merchants on an
equal basis with British merchants In
China. This hill provides for the lift
Ing Of income taxes on American cor
porations and businesses In China.
II know personally Of large num-
ber Of concerns who would start
branch houses In the Orient Were II
not for the fact that they cannot COM
pete on an equal basis with British
corporations which are free from In
come tax" Mr. Hoover's representa-
tive said.
Hoover and Hughes Favor II.
"Mr. Hoover Is In favor Of the pass
age of this act, as well as Mr. Hughes
and II has passed the house Of repre-
sentatives, so the chances look good
for its becoming n law"
Not only are trade opportunities ex-
cellent IN China. Japan aud the Dutch
East Indies. but they also are very
fair In the Philippines and In SIAM
Mr.. Eldridge stated. The trade situ.
alton in the Philippines will be better
he pointed out. when II becomes
known what General Woods report
advisaa