New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1921-08-19
South American Trade
Europe's Major Share Meet Our
Latin-American Friends Half Way"

Europe's Major Share Meet Our
Latin-American Friends Half Way"
To the Editor of The Tribune.
Sir: l cannot agree with some Of the
statements of William C. Wells, chief
statistician of the Pan-American Union,
in his letter on "Our South American
Trade" in to-dsy's Tribune.
There never has been such volume
of imports from "the ten republics Of
South America" that falling off of 20
per cent represented a total of sS7{,-
921, S76. cannot find any statistics
showing that our total imports from
South America ever reached that figure
When Mr.. Wells says that the South
American countries are mot shifting
their trade to England or Germany
away from the United States" he is
not in agreement with DR.. Julius Klein,
chief of the American division
Of the Bureau of Foreign and Domestic
Commerce. He is not in agreement
with many business men who have
spent six months or more in Argentina
and Brazil from November, 1920, to
May, 1921
Why quote Uruguay, perhaps our
best friend in South America? Arcen-
tina's imports are eight times greater
than those Of Brazil and six tines
greater than Uruguay's.
"The strength of European trade in
South America lies in the six South
American countries of Argentina. Chile,
Uruguay, Paraguay, Brazil ana Bolivia.
This was true before the war and is
true now. For the remaining fourteen
Latin-American countries (nclrding
Colombia, Venezuela, Peru and Eoua-
dor) in South America, ETC." writes
Mr. Wells. But, of course. he does not
mean that. There are only ten Latin
American countries in South America
and be has named them all If the
strength of European trade lies in the
six he names-and I will not dispute
hint is surely enough.
Before the war (and Mr. wells says
it is the same today the six coun-
tries named imported 1894, 0SS 900 worth
of goods, of which s139,S17.00o came
from the United States. The other
four countries Of South America I'M
ported sS4,276,oo0, of which So oos 200
came from the United States. The
imports Of Argentina alone were fire
times greater than those Ct Colo abia
Venezuela, Peru and Ecuador. and from
the United States Argentina imported
s2o,oo00c0 more than the other four
countries named.
Why seek to dodge the facts It Is
quite true that Germany, for example,
cannot make very great strides to Gust
US yet from this trade, but whenever
Germany has control of raw material
she is cutting in on us heavily with
the manufactured product of that raw
material. l have great faith in Ameri-
can enterprise ard il the ability Of
the American business man. and be-
lieve that eventually the United STAGES
will be the great purvcyor a manu-
featured goods TO South America as
we'll as the great buyer.
The average American salesman Is
clever man, pleasant chap to meet
and has more brains by great deal
than the average German salesman. But
the German patiently grinds until he
gets an understanding of the foreign
buyer; and finding out what he wants,
gives it to him.
Of course sit will all come our way
one Of these days" We all know th2t
but "if eventually. why not now" II
can be done if we meet our Latin
American friends halfway, and that IL
just what we have not been doing.
FRANCIS b. PURDUE,
Albany, N. Y, Aug. 16, 1921. :,