The Cordova daily times., 1921-05-02
PAN-AMERICAN
 GERMAN TRADE
 MENACE TO |. 5.
BY COL. WINFIELD JONES,

lidle HI lne uust ol ueIeat IS rapidly recovering from the effects of the World war, despite her claim ti,at in demnites demanded by the allies cannot be paid. The German con- merce, once worldwide, is again reaching our for old-time markets, despite the almost complete distruc- tion of the German merchant marines. In this country we know little, as yet, of the German efforts abroad to regain foreign trade, except from the meager reports of our counsul ill Flu rope and accounts printed from time to time in trade journals But we do know and have the best evidence of it in Washington that Germany is already making great efforts to regain her lost sea American trade, which was completely obliterated by the war, and these efforts are also being made in Mexico.
 The Teuton commercial spirit re- ceived merely temporary set back by the war for nothing can dim the per sistent energy of the German man. ufacturer and exporter. They are all ready busy with foreign trade, even while part of their country is occupied by allied armies, and before peace be- tween the German republics and the United States has been formally de- clared. The Germans have an energy and industry that no disaster haits and no Encouragement stops.
 Reports from agents of cur Bureau of Foreign and Domestic Commerce show that the Germans arc already making considerable headway in South America and Mexico in their efforts to regain their lost markets in that part of the world
 The German exporter has some big advantages over the British and Amer ican merchants. These include cheap CT prices, with wares as good, delivery of goods on the dates promised, long time credits, and better packing. Along with these the Germans under stand the psychology of the Latin. American races better, and conse- quently from this factor alone are able to get much trade. It is said one of the principal reasons the Germans are now succeeding in again building up their trade in South America and Mex ico is that they will make and sell pro- ducts as the South Americans and MeXicans want these products. On
 the other hand the British and Ameri-
 cans exporter will not do this. He makes something and offers it for sale.
 If it don't suit the foreigner the for eigner can buy somewhere else.
 Large orders have been placed firms for railroad material in Chile,
 shipping and railroad materials in. Ar
 gentina, and electrical equipment in
 Mexico. Hardware of all kinds, novel ties, and electrical supplies arc being
 sold in large quantities by the German
 in practically every South American
 country.
 1 Reports to the bureau of foreign and
 domestic commerce say that a large
 number of German commercial agents
 have recently appeared in every
 city in South America and in many
 Mexican cities, and are busy finding
 new markets and reviving old ones
 In Brazil it is reported the German
 firms have already regained many of l the customers they lost when the
 World war begun.
 | German exporters are offering en- ducements of six months credits
 which are big advantages over Amer | ican exporters, who do not desire to
 sell onp such terms as American banks
 are not accustomed to carrying long 1 time paper for our exporters. Six
 months credits are very acceptable to 1 South American merchants, who are
 accCstomed to doing business under these terms. South of Panama such
 a thing as thirty days bill or trade
 acceptance is unheard of. American
 exporters will t2vc to meet the Ger
 mans on their own terms or fail to
 get tGeir share of this pan-Amer:can trade The American business of the
 world will have to meet every factor
 in the German competition or lose the
 business.
 Amefican exports are now said
 to be slowly awakening to the menace
 of the new competition to the south of
 us, for they are hearing every day from
 their agents in pan-America of the
 activities of the German.
 1 The Germans, too, are reported to
 be at work with tkeir old propaganda
 tricks, the main idea of which is to
 discredit the United States in the pam |