Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1923-01-04

Washington. Jan. 1.-THE Hritisih
monopoly Of ahe iinolsurn trade IN The
Argentine Rspublio IL no more. n hes
boon captured by mn American conosrn.
Tho story Of how THE lucrative ln,ssi-
nesss wa sd.,e-d 20 help swell the total
Of American exports 20 tho ft,500.-
100000 MARE tilis rear n ono ~ ths
bright spots IN the ye~r's trade ~
recorded by fhs Buronu - FNr~t~n
ana Domestic Commerce..
Hpnss months ago makers q iino-
lsum sent an agent % Buenos AIRES
n s~o what could 10 done IN tho way
a developing business with the Ar
RentinAs. This man found 70 very
difficult n break through the British
grip on the linolsum trnds. Tho Brit
ish manufacturers had built I'D their
commercial connections during Years
q supremacy. >Ths American product
compared we'll with the Brit.sh IN
quality and price. but The Yankee iino-
leum seller found 81 difficult n wres,
customers away from his British com
pestitors.
Meanwhile there had been gNns on
for many years IN Buonos Aires q
piece 81 patient research work which
while az first blush e would seem
20 have not the remotest connection
with tho sale OF linolsum. nevertheless,
gave % the American salesman ms
key 70 tho problem no was trying {,
/ solve.
/ \ certain Argentine antiquarian
/ who was also curator Of one OF th'
/ principle museums IN Buenos Aires
/ had bsen making lifetime study Of
! ths primitive arts OF the Indians wh'
had inhabited Argentina before th'
Spanlards came. In tho course Of hi
studies no had brought togsther Z
large number OF decorative design.
which the native Indians had uses
on their pottery. Blankets, and othe'
products OF craftsmanship. The and
quarian thought these designs wer'
very beautiful. and he displayed then
In the museum. dreaming OF the dal
when they should form ths basis o
\ an Argentine national art.
Having the prospect Of An idle after
noon before him. the agent droppe'
Into the museum one day for a casua
visit. and his eye was caught by ther-
designs. They gave him an idea. toe
lie procured copies % several OF III
more interesting ones and sent then
20 the factory IN the United State
with the suggestion that they nigh
DO copied and used on the goods 10
the Argentine market. The designer
IN Tits country also liked them, Al
. they worked several ;nto nnOleum pat
terms. Sample lots OF hnoieum o
. these patterns We're sent 20 Bueno
Aires, and the result astor.shed eve
, the enthusiast who proposed the ide
In the first place.
The Argent!nes We're entrsncsd b
the new linoleum. These people hev
I an admlxture OF Indian blood IN the
ve!ns-at least many OF them have
and when once they cav native AZ
gentine patterns beautifully worSe
QUE IN iineleurn. they would hsvs p
other ilind. The British monopol
! melted away almost overnight and ~
: business went 20 che innovators.
ono man only was not surprised
tho antiquarian. lie had watched -
experiment with great interest. "
: years, no told tho agent with mos
!, chagrln. no had dreant Of these ma
tive patterns being wrought in pr
cious enarnels or woven Into rich eili
for the homes Of the Argentine mi
llonaires. b,rt instead OF that an ente
p-.sinE Yankee concern was puttir
them into the house 81 tho midd
c,asses as the patterns for onclosh
, Yet II proved It's point, he cad, IN
!. the Argentine people longed FOR the
own native art.
This was an example OF insenui
that is being worked throughout q
world nowadays in the determine
j American effort 20 capture and no
r. tho lead IN fore.sn trade. America
q sro studying tho mythology OF f.
eisn peoples and then using their "