The Washington herald., 1921-05-18

present production somewhere from
eighteen to twenty years; we are
producing now IS per cent OF the
worlds oil, and we have an es-
timated proportion OF the worlds
oil-bearing territory Of from 20
to 30 per cent We are not secur-
ing our foothold~ in foreign. oil
fields. The matter has been before
Congress on several occasions and
IL is a matter of general agitation
throughout the country. The tech
nical bureaus OF the government
have developed the technical ma
terial with respect to world oil re-
sources. but the information as to
the commercial action that is nee
essary Is entirely unorganized.
1T seems to me that one of the
FIRST functions of the Department
OF Commerce Is to see that such
problems are taken in hand and
that we should secure such energetic
and collective action on the part
of our oil industry as to secure
our position for the future. Again
II becomes a question of the gem
eraI staff- One or two men in the
Department of Commerce can not
undertake all Of these things: we
must have some men Who can de-
vote themselves TO the development
of these sorts of problems. In or
der to serve our Industries we have
this general fact TO meet. that hith-
erto our export commerce has been
based. except in a few industries,
such as steel, oil. and one or two
others. on an Z. q. b. business: that
we do not have American distrib-
uting agencies throughout the
world TO place our goods into the
final market-that is. the retailer.
We are independent to a large de-
gree on foreign wholesalers often
enough on British. German. French
and other nationalities. Our for
eign distribution system Is a sort
of an army without any soldiers
on the front. but with a good deal
of a supply train. without native
Americans, under the American nag.
doing our own distribution abroad
We can not hold our own. The
only point at which the govern
ment can enter upon that is through
a process Of Information and slim
ulation to our people to take such
action.
Establish Divisisns-
That is one part of the reason
we wish to set up what we have
called Industrial divisions. that we
may have the special stan and the
understanding to stimulate our peo-
pie to action. The manufacturers
require not only specific trade In
formation as to. opportunities
abroad. but they Will need. IL We
are to maintain our commerce. o
greater mass of information regard
ing the competitive ability Of for
eign manufacturers to compete with
American industries; they need sd-
vice as to the probable increased
or diminished competition Of FOR
eiRn manufacturers in. our domestic,
markets; specific information as to
trade practices and distribution IA
cilities affecting American manufsc-
lures in foreign markets. and ad-
vice as to the sources OF supply
in regard to important raw materials
and industrial channels. etc.
These services. of which there
are great multitudes. need to be
inspired by an expert in the par
ticular industry as to what the in
dustry needs itself rather than a
man of general information as to
trade conditions as whole So
il was felt that the greatest sery-
ice that could be performed for
American export commerce today
was to create a general stan Of
men OF familiarity with different