Evening star., 1921-08-21

- business tactics applied to a
deal in Missouri mules differ
largely from methods en-
ployed in building up foreign trade.
Diplomacy is as necessary in foreign
commerce as the lack of it is char
acteristic of the door-to door book
agents methods. Sales are one thing.
deliveries another. A customers
wishes should be equally valued with
his trade. And unless the American
exporter realizes some OF these things
the inevitable must happen. A very
ripe. very juicy plum-the trade and
good Will Of South America-will be
snatched from his very grasp and con-
sumed within his easy reach.
Such dismal prospect hardly bears
with our favorable balance of trade
with South American republics, nor
with the increase in our South Ameri-
can trade at the expense of European
competition during the war. But it
must be remembered that when Eu-
rope was at war South American
trade turned to the United States
from necessity. We are only entering
the critical period-the era which will
decided whether the American ex-
porter can meet European competi-
tion in an open field. favor shown to
none. and the best man to win.
Dependable Figures Lacking.
Therefore the lesson which has not
been learned. that sympathy, under
standing and willingness to change
methods to meet new conditions is
necessary to hold South American
trade. becomes of prime Importance
at this time.
One is forced to generalize in speak
ing of trade lost through the unwill-
ingness Of the North American busi-
ness man to really learn the wants
and understand the nature of his Gus
toner in South America. There have
been no figures compiled on that sub
ject. But If there were, it is safe to
say the financial loss would be ap-
palling, while the loss in prestige and
opportunity would be even more So
Indications OF carelessness on the
part of the American exporter, which
harm him and his countrymen. are
frequent Commercial attaches in
South America are constantly send
ing back to the Department of Com
merce reports of the failure of Amert-
can shippers to regard the simplest
requirements in packing goods des-
tined for South American ports. Here
is report which reached the depart
| ment last week. It is typical
1.-THE confusion and lack of uni
formity in marking American goods
| for Brazil" writes Commercial At
tache w. L. Schurz. in Rio de
Janeiro, "makes it difficult to check
up the packages . and. causes
a considerable waste of effort and
time. AS careless packing and mark
ing by the shipping departments of
American exporting houses is one of
the factors that have prejudiced our
trade in South American countries,
consideration of the following specific
instructions would be to the advan-
tage of all concerned" His message
is followed by diagrams and draw
ings showing simple rules to be fol-
Brazil.
Shippers Were Too Wise.
But failure to comply with marking
and packing regulations is a small
matter compared with failure to pay
attention to filing orders with any
thing like satisfaction to the Gus
toner. Here is a recent instance:
A New York silk firm received an
order from a silk merchant in Peru,
the money accompanying the order
asking for a shipment of 100 pieces
of silk. Eighty pieces were to be
black. the importer wrote. and twen-
ty pieces were to be miscellaneously
selected colors. The exporter re-
ceived the order. He did not know
that. black is favorite color in Peru,
nor could he understand why eighty
pieces of silk should be black while
only twenty were. colored.
!, So he reversed the order, sent the
customer twenty pieces of black silk
and eighty pieces Of colored silk, the
colors being of such strange variety
and assortment that they were utter