The Topeka state journal., 1922-03-16
TOPEKA STATE JOURNAL
Information Bureau
FREDERIC J. HAsKnS, Director.
Washington, d. Q.
THE FOREIGN BUSINESS OF
AMERICA.

money to foreign governments and
cities. 1t always has and it always
will. This condition is as inexorable as
the succession of the seasons. And yet
I It is but recently that American bank
/ ers and business men have been con-
vinced of this fact, according to
Franklin Adams. counselor of the
! Pan-American union
"A few years ago, If another gov
ernment approached our bankers and
asked for funds, those governm ents
either were turned down absolutely or
so much delay was encountered that
/ the applicants grew tired and went
! elsewhere says Mr. Adams The
condition, which existed long before
| the entrance of this country into the
ance of our merchants and bankers of
the fundamentals of foreign trade.
But with the opening of the war and
the greatly increased demand for our
goods in Europe and in Latin America
as well as the Far East, our national
mercantile vision widened perceptibly.
1t is still widening"
In the old days if the government
of one of the countries to the south of
the United States wanted a loan to
build a railway. that government
would send special representatives to
the United States. These emissaries
American financial centers before they
got a hearing, and probably it would
be weeks after that before there was a
decision.
Today the financial houses of the
United States have Representatives
practically all over the world and these
men are looking for places to lend
American money. The Latin Ameri-
can city that wants to build a street
railway. for instance. after some
American financial agent arranges for
loaning the necessary construction
funds and money for rolling stock, has
pointed out to it that the United States
has civil engineers, steel rail mills, and
means of providing all other equip
ment needed. 1t is natural that the
government making the loan should
want to repay as much as possible the
people of the country advancing the
funds Thus contracts for equipment
which cannot be furnished by the bor-
rowing country itself follow the
American loan to American firms. The
result is a considerable foreign trade
arising from this single project
This expansion of the American
viewpoint is being met by the educa-
ton of young men to fit them for the
posts of business and financial dele
gates, notably to the Latin American
nations.
More Than Language Required.
great many young men are study
ing Spanish in schools and colleges.
But they must go a long way beyond
merely learning to converse in Spanish
to fit themselves for posts as foreign
represen ntatives of American business.
OF course knowledge of the language,
and a thoro knowledge at that, is the
prime requisite. but it is only a part
of the necessary knowledge and train
ing.
The most perfect Spanish scholar
in the world is of no use to an Amer
lean exporting firm or bank if he is
not also a good salesman The char
acteristics of the Latin American peo-
pie must be taken into account. A
lack of understanding of these cannot
be balanced by the greatest fluency In
Spanish.
Some big American export houses
have established their own schools
for training young men to represent
them abroad. The teaching staffs can
tell within a few weeks whether a man
is going to be a success as a salesman
on foreign soil.
Foreign trade is receiving the close !
attention of some of the big American
Once the banks and |
business houses had their eyes opened |
to the opportunities so long neg
lected, the colleges were not slow to |
take up the subject. Officials of the /
Pan-American Union discovered that |
foreign trade course at one of the |
in Washin gton, specialize |
ing with regard to Latin America. His /
studies include Spanish, physical |
geography. principles OL
export sales practice, staple COM
modities of world trade, histories of
Latin American countries and foreign /
trade conventions. When this list is I
compared with the study only of a 1
foreign tongue, it is seen what strides
America has taken in recognizing the I
necessary for preparing |
young men TO go out and creditably
represent American business abroad.
The studies enumerated above are
mi 7~1rT Id IN
curriculum at this university.
1t is a fact that our Latin American
trade has a lock on 1t that is turned
with the key of social graces. To be
4 successful salesman in those coun-
-ries. one must be not only a master
IF. knowlege Of what he has to
sell, but well versed in the social
forms so dear to the Spanfsh-Amer-
can heart. and thoroly aware of the
way our southern neighbors prefer to
10 business. The breezy type of sales
men who tries to get into a town on
)ne train and out on the next, dealing
With Central and South American
merchants. will have nothing to show
n the way of orders.
In our own country, there are sales
nen who will visit four or five towns
between dawn and dark. That
method in Latin America would result
The salesman dealing with mer-
'hants of the countries to the south
must go slowly. knowing this, many
arge export houses in the United
states have brought men into their
lome offices who have been trained
n Central and South America. men
Who know not only the needs of those
countries, but the habits and customs
s we'll The judgment of these men
5 used in selecting men who probably
will make good.
Harder to Land Jobs
With the realization that much ]
more is necessary than the ability TO
ak and understand the Spanish
ongue,. it is becoming harder each
ear to be chosen for commercial I
york in the Latin American field The
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