Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1922-07-13
EGYPTIANS DESIRE
TRADE WITH j. 6.
BY JUNIUS b. WOOD
(Staff Correspondence Of The Chica
Daily News Foreign Service)


ALEXANDRIA,, Egypt.-Stretch-
ing like a thread for $50 miles from
the Sudan border to Cairo is fer
tile fringe of black soil varying from
three to fifteen miles in width along
the Nile. Below Cairo, to the north,
is the delta, a broad fertile plain.
This is the life of Egypt. Without
the Nile Egypt would be a barren
desert.
The economic life of the nation de-
ponds on agriculture. Products of
the soil form nearly 100 per cent OF
it's exports. All come from this fam
shaped strip of 1887, 094 acres, sur
prisingly small area for a population
of 100000.
Cotton is the great staple. Year
by year it averages so per cent of
the nations exports. If the crop is
good and the worlds price high,
Egypt prospers. There is nothing
else to fall back On.
American Imports
In 1921, Egypt exported 2S7,19O
tons of cotton, As per cent of it to
England, 81 per cent to the United
States. That same year for the first
time the value of Egypt's imports
from the United States exceeded the
value of her exports to that country.
Though little systematic effort has
been made by manufacturers to push
American goods the trade is in
creasing on account of several fac
tcrs-American purchases of Egypt
ian cotton the Arab friendliness to-
ward the United States and by no
means least, the political boycott OF
British goods. In 1919 per cent of
Egypt's imports came from the Unit
ed States; in 1920 10 per cent, and
last year IS per cent.
The American consuls in Cairo
Alexandria and Port Said-refresh-
Ingly energetic Representatives of our
goVernment-say that Egypt's i'm
ports from the United States could
easily be trebled if American manu-
facturers desired. This is the op-
perfume time for the effort and -
Americans do not take advantage of
1t the manufacturers of Germarc,
Belgium and other countries will.
In spite of a decrease in total
volume from that of 1920 America
continued in second place in Egypt's
foreign commerce IN 1921" said Con-
sui s. Pinllney Tuck. 1.-THE decrease
was not due so much to lesser guam
titles as to the slump in prices, es-
pecially of cotton. America is in an
excellent position which undoubted-
ly could be bettered if American
manufacturers evinced an interest ir
Egypt. Among Egyptians there is
a great sympathy and liking for the
American nation and American man.
ufacturers would have little diff
Guilty in successfully introducing
their goods, provided they met the
Egyptian importer half way in
credit and sales facilities"
Acceptances Free
The Egyptian importer-he NAV
be Arab, Greek, italian, Jew, Syrian.
Spaniard or Levantine-has his own
loose code of commercial honor. If
goods are delivered when he orders
them, he considers himself under OBJ
lgaton to pay for them. Ii there is
a month or more of delay in their
delivery, he does not feel obliged
to accept them.
Only few days ago, a local firm
unable to get an order of American
typeWriters out Of the customs
house without paying for them re-
Jected the order because the key
board had the American S instead
of the English G. The alteration
any mechanic could have made in
few minutes. Americans who have
done business here say that orders
should be shipped only on "irrevoc-
ably confirmed bankers letters of
credit
Some American concerns have en-
deavored to meet these conditions by
sending their own representatives,
but only a few remain. There is a
good demand for American light ma
chinery, hardware, shoes, silks, tex
tiles, hosiery and various other lines.
Two young Americans built up a
tractor and light truck business here
before the slump came. The home
factories did not help them and they
lost. Aside from the chewing gum,
patent medicine and cereal manufac-
turers, few American concerns con-
slider it worth while to label their
packages in Arabic, the language
Egyptians use. Americans buy dates
from here in packages with English
labels. In that respect the Arab eX-
porter adjusts himself to his mar.
ket. The America manufactures
expects anybody who buys a pad.
lock to lear nEnglish first.
Business for Bank
An American bank is needed in
Egypt. 1t could finance cotton ship
ments to America, the interior
freight haul and transact the ex-
change on American imports. Lester
Maynard, American consul here, has
estimated that it could do $25,000,-
900 business each way annually.
In exchange between Egypt and
the United States there is now 10
per cent difference between the buy
ing and selling rates. An American
bank would bring it down to 2 per
cent. Financial transactions be-
tween the two countries now pass
through London, giving the English
banks from one-eighth to onefourth
of 1 per cent profit either way.