The Washington herald., 1922-12-08
BRITISH GAINING.
PACIFIC TRADE,
SHIPPERS SAY
Superior Information Service
in the Far East Is Given
as the Immediate Cause
URGE u. S. CABLE BUREAU
West Coast Firms Indorse In
vestigation Urged by the
San Francisco Examiner
BY Universal S<rxice.

SAN FRANCISCO, CAL, Dec. g.
THAT the marine business on the
Pacific is slipping away from
American to British concerns
chiefly on account of a superior
and more immediate foreign trade
International service with the
Far East was declared in Cali
fornia street yesterday.
DISCUSS PROBE REPORT.
This statement was made by a
leading importer and exporter while
discussing the article in yesterdays
Examiner that an investigation had
been requested Of Washington au-
thorities OF the Dingle Far East
Economic Corporation recently
launched here for the purpose OF
establishing a Far Eastern trade
Information service under British
management and control. Commen-
dation Of the article in question as
an accurate reflection Of fears now
entertained by local American mer-
chants interested in the economic
development of the Far East that
due importance will not be given
to the necessity of thoroughly safe
guarding American trade during
this dawn of a new American COM
merce was expressed yesterday at
all places where foreign traders
gathered. This exporter said:
British access to immediate
trade information Is resulting dis
astrously, particularly in Ihe ma
rine insurance business. We do
not want to shut British marine
insurance out bv any means. All
we want is that Americans should
have an even break. The need OF
an American Far East informa-
ton trade service is very great.
The British trade have the ad-
vantage over US in this line. We
are willing to have the British
compete with US, but we don't
want them to have all of our busi-
ness. The fact that we are losing
this business rapidly is the talk of
the Street.
AWAIT NEXT MOVE.
Local foreign trade circles are
awaiting with interest possible steps
the United States Government is ex-
pected 10 take as a result Of letters
recently sent to President Harding
and the California Senators and Con-
gressman Parker relative to Edwin
J. Dingle's proposed Far East trade
cable service. an institution which, it
in admitted. will doubtless be thor
oughly efficient.
A member of the Foreign Trade
Club said yesterday:
The Foreign Trade Club. whose
interests are entirely in the direc.
ton OF promoting friendliness
among nations. would he the last
to do anything to offend visitors
or capitalists coming TO this city
to do business.
Some of its members are, in
fact, little afraid that such an
Interpretation might be put upon
the anxiety of the members with
respect to the "Dingle Far East
Economic Corporation" The Ex-
aminer's article yesterday aScu-
rately defines the feeling that
exists and a careful reading OF
that article would show no such
suggestion existed.
Our attitude. indeed. is. it can
he shown. that Mr. Dingle's
proposition is a good one and the
authorities in Washington are
satisfied that no American inter
est will he prejudiced by the trade
tnforma tional service he contem-
plates under nagement of Brit
fish subjects that we would feel a
great relief and satisfaction.
REGRETS MOVE.
1t would be regrettable IL any
great, well-equipped organization
which might serve American in
terests should be driven out by
any unwise and petty action.
especially so in this case mas
much as Mr.. Dingle is an esteem
ed and respected member of the
Foreign Trade Club.
This. however. does not alter
the fact that the possibilities of
menace to purely American trade
interests involved in such an es-
tahlishment as Mr.. Dinele pro-
poses with British correspondents
In the Far East as sources of his
news supply should not be inves-
tigated to the bottom.
1t Is a good thing that Wash
ington should be kept informed
with perfect csndor by American
importers and exporters here Of
everything that takes place so the
Government may be able to act in
telligently and in the interests Of
common Americanfsm. There is
an enormous amount at stake.
particularly now when America is
beginning to reach out seriously