Evening star., 1922-01-01
BY BEN McKELWAY.

|
7 ~ ONCLUDING one of the most
successful years since its ere
Y alton, the Latin American di-
| vision of the bureau of for
| eign and domestic commerce has
adopted a broad program for the com
| ing year which has for its object an
up to- the minute service of advice
and information to the American busi-
| ness man on conditions Of trade and
| opportunities for investment in Latin
| America.
The work of this division falls un-
der two main headings: Collection
| and distribution of information and
| the enlargement of both services Is
planned. The necessity for complete,
| accurate and prompt information on
all subjects concerning our trade with
| Latin America is made apparent when
| one considers that the period of re-
adjustment of conditions there has not
! run it's course and that European
] competition is becoming increasingly
| strong.
Information on trade and economic
| conditions in Latin America is OBJ
tanned chiefly from commercial at
taches and other field men. who main
| tain constant liaison with headquar-
| ters Of the division through cable and
| mail communication. The coming
year probably will see the appoint
ment of a commercial attache to Cuba,
| where financial and commercial prob
| lens are urgently in need OF close
| study. 1t is also planned to send out
from Washington a number OF special
agents to study and report on mar
| kets for particular commodities. But
as a lack of funds prevents many ad-
I i. s<; an11
| the most important steps for improv-
| ing the service will be taken in
Washington. Commodity or indus
| trial divisions are to be established
| which will do great service in bet
| ter directing and utilizing the field
| forces of the division now maintained
1 Each of these divisions. under an eX-
pert. will require from the field Off
| GERS detailed reports on its speciality.
! and these reports will be compiled
| into general studies of particular
| commodities.
The same principle of better direc-
tion will apply to the work of the
diplomatic and consular officers. for
| the State Department has shown its
! Willingness to cooperate with the bu-
| reau in its work, and the results so
far obtained are considered very Sat
isfactory. One of the best ways of
| obtaining a general survey of any
commercial problem. it has been found,
is to send to each of the consuls a
questionnaire covering all the essen
tial points. The extension OF this
| service, it is believed, will result in
! an increasing flow of information. for
many business houses have found
that the Latin American division
| works with them in the compilation
of questionnaires, and the number of
! those who take advantage of this CO.
operation is growing.
The distribution of this informa-
ton. gathered by the division with
the help of other governmental agen-
cies presents another problem. Here
tofore it has been disseminated
through the commerce reports and in
! special statements to the newspapers.
by confidential circulars to listed
! firms, by correspondence and through
speeches and Interviews by officials of
the bureau of foreign and domestic
commerce. The comparatively small
force Of men who compile and edit the
| reports and the lack of funds have
prevented in the past the full use OF
all these methods. But the coming
wear will see every effort made to
promptly issue reports on surveys and
investigations: to make them com
lplete in every detail. and, if the funds
for printing are lacking. to use the
means at hand and mimeograph for
!
terial. In addition to the more prompt
and wider circulation of data. bet
ter type of report is planned. In the
past much of the material has been
fragmentary and inconclusive. Under
the direction of an increased number
of commodity experts. fragments will
be gathered into a complete whole
and inconclusive statements VIII be
suppres ssed or made conclusive by the
addition OF other material.
I X X X
The average American business man
does not know of the number of gov
ernmental agencies here in Washing
ton which distribute economic ma
;terial concerning Latin America. The
Latin American division and the bur
eau of foreign and domestic com
merce are the most widely known
agencies, with the possible exception
of the Pan-American Union. The
Latin American division plans to ac-
quaint Americans with the means al
their disposal of becoming more
familiar with the various phases OF
the Latin American market.
Among the government agencies are
Included the State Department
through which must pass all matter