Evening star., 1922-11-10
SOUTH AMERICAN
TRADE STILL LAGS
"Banana Republics Hard
Hit BY Present Poor Prices
for Fruit.
81 J. G. RCYLE.

Special Disyatch to The star.
NEW YORK, November 1o.-The
business men and manufacturers of the
United States have found out this year
Why the countries of Central and part
d South America are called banana
Republics" Those countries have re-
ceived such poor price for bananas g
this year that they are not expected
70 show any material improvement in
buying power until new crop has
| been produced and marketed.
Central and South American trade.
according to reports from the port of
New Orleans. received by telegraph
within the last twenty-four hours.
shows but few signs of Improvement.
SO many old debts are still unsettled
that American merchants are unusual
ly careful in extending new lines of
credit.
Gains Outside Fruit Zone.
This does not apply. however. to the
countries lying outside the strict fruit
zone. Southeastern dealers and manu-
facturerS are conducting an intensive
campaign for business in Cuba, Brazil
and Argentina. The results of this
effort are being seen in increased tom
mage of shipments through Charleston.
| j
past thirty days.
At least two steamship lines operating
to those ports have increased their
equipment and sailngs and the Southern
railway is completing arrangements for
a through package car service from At
lanta to Havana via Key West. The
cars will be run aboard ear ferries at
he latter port and towed to Havana.
Porto Rico conditions are reported by
returning statesmen to be greatly i'm
proved. while the expectation of a $50
900. 900 loan from the United States has
stimulated buying in Cuba. The liaison
between Atlanta and Havana is very
~ Coast Trade booming.
II On the west coast and the border
trade with Mexico has increased with
leaps and bounds. The larger business
so far has been confined to live stock.
shoes and millinery, but other lines are
rapidly making place for themselves.
Closer connections are being established
with Chile than ever before and Bolivia
mas come TO be a constantly increasing
source of revenue to American trade
The shortage of labor in big industrial
sections has not been relieved The
state officials of Pennsylvania reported
today that from $1,000 to 10000 un-
skilled laborers were needed in the
Pittsburgh district alone and nearly
every part of the state could use more
The sweet tooth of the American
people more than ever is a factor in
commerce and trade. ConfeCtioners
and soft drink manufacturers in scat
tered centers reported today they ex-
pected soda fountains to bring in a
revenue of $1,000. .OOO.O 900 at least for
the year ending December 81.
Candy Makers Rushed.
Candy manufacturers all over the
country are working their plants over
time to meet the demands of the holi-
day trade and the shortage of the
pecan crop is expected to result in
higher prices for those edibIes
On the Pacific coast Thanksgiving
turkeys are selling at ~ cents a
pound wholesale, and dressed turkeys
fowhere in that section are bringing
beyond 3S cents a pound. This trend
in the price of holiday turkeys was
forecast accurately in this column
nearly two months ago. A large ship
ment of birds is being rushed here
from Argentina and is expected to
reach the New York market about
three days before THANKSGIVING
Tourist travel, counted on as a
stimulus to trade in the south and
southwest at this season of the year
has already started and is expected to
be exceptionally heavy this season.
Finished silk goods are in increas-
ing demand and manufacturers in
New Jersey and Pennsylvania today
predicted that prices would advance
before January l.