Perth Amboy evening news., 1923-08-02

dDONS NHdJ ID Heeueu LOT hume COn-
sumption.
Study Market Needs
One of the longest steps toward
substituting American business sense
for in the foreign trade has
been the establishment in the Bureau
Of Foreign and Domestic Commerce
of the commodity divisions. The ex-
perts in these divisions know de-
finitely what goods are wanted in
what countries. No American manu-
facturer, no matter how romantic,
probably would ever send a cargo
of ice cream to the people of
Greenland. Yet Americans have
been known to send large shipments
OF shoes to Central American eUun-
tries, which from the point of view
OF the experts, is just about as
absurd. A few people, mostly
foreigners or foreign stock do wear
shoes in Central American, but the
mass of the population has no use
for them. This is the sort of in
formation the Bureau stands ready
to give ard does daily. Thousands
of letters and kilograms pour into
the Bureau every day and are ans
wered. For instance, if an Ameri-
can automobile manufacturer doesn't
know that cars to be shipped to
England should have a right hand
drive because people there drive on
the left hand side of the road, he
car find out from the Bureau.
The American business man, MAX
Ing inquiries of the Bureau will not
find a few Government clerks bound
up in red tape. He will find him.
self referred to the commodity di-
vision that fits his case, whether he
manufactures farm tractors or en-
broidery needles and there he will
experts, formerly in business in his
own trade, who speak his language,
know his trade terms and, in addi-
ton, know how and where to sell
such goods abroad. He will find a
division of commercial laws which
will tell him about the regulations
and native laws governing deliveries,
collections and such information for
any country in the world. He can
find out what the tariff is on a con-
signment of sewing machines or
butter curns or anything else to
any country in the world.
Furthermore, the Bureau will as
sist him finding out If the foreign
merchant to whom he wants to ship
goods Is able to pay for them. With
It's trade commissioners, commercial
attaches, and various other agents
scattered over the world it can as
certain on short notice the market
prices, state of stocks and condition
OF rad anywhere on the globe.
These agents also constantly are on
the lookout for orders for American
concerns in these foreignes coun-
tries. They are not authorized to
take orders directly themselves, but
they are constantly active in put
ting the American statesmen in touch
with likely buyers. When they learn
that a merchant is in the market
for some sort of goods, the Informal
lion is sent Immediately to Wash
ington whence it is distributed
among the makers of the particular
goods desired.
While the chief effort of this great
business bureau of the Government
is bent toward the sale of American
goods abroad, there recently has
been established a Domestic Com.
merce Division. This division will
concern itself with domestic bust
ness problems and will conduct
I studies of improved merchandising,
the elimination of waste from in
dustry, the Standardization of grades
of goods and many kindred subjects
OF value to American business men.