The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1923-09-28
GERMAN TRADE
IN A|NER
GAINS
Statesmen From That Country
Find Increasingly Lucrative
Market Here.
By GEORGE FRANKLIN.

Importation Of German made goods
| 10 increasing steadily and several
local merchants say they are han.
! ding as much German merchandise
as before the war. German sales
men have returned as regular
| Washington visitors. Representa-.
tiVes Of seven exporting firms in
| Germany have been here this week.
1t is reported they all did "big
washington business"
Prices paid for German-made
wares are not below wartime
levels, according to local dealers.
In fact, in some lines there has
been an ]. advance. German-made
show a slight advance over former
prices. Toys are little below old
prices, but sales made for Deem
Der delivery, 1t is said, show q
slight upward tendency.
Prejudice Disappears.
Prejudice, which operated to bar
German products from American
markets Immediately following the
war, has disappeared. Dealers say
today it is once more merely a
question of dollars and cents, into
which neither sympathy nor preju-
dice enters.
eft may be you can buy cheaper
in Germany than before the war,
said local novelty importer today.
''but from salesmen's prices it does
not look like it. German manufac-
turers are certainly taking a fair
profit on their exports il wage
conditions and other factors are
what they are reported as being
there.
Zone thing is to be noted. Ger
many is again turning out mechani-
cally perfect products. Everything
we have received since the war
shows they have not lost the cum
ming hand in fabricating wares and
from the novelties added to former
lines 1t seems somebody must have
staid at home during the fighting
to think up new ideas. can list
off hand not less than dozen new
mechanical toys that are proving
big sellers. in the department stores.
They are below the dollar mark
with an average production cost,
based on German figures, of approx
mately eleven cents Most of them
are selling at between ~ and SO
cents, showing that, making all
allowances for commissions and re-
tail profits, the German is a little
better than doubling his money.
Bearing on Preparations
This is a situation worth femem-
bering when considering Germany's
position in relation to allied claims.
Most American business men have
talked with feel that Germany
should be given a chance to get he:'
wares into the market on profit
making basis as the surest way of
collecting from her on war obliga-
TONS" ~
According to-. another importer
Germany instead Of having lost her
position in South America has really
bettered it since the. war. This re-
suited from first sales when German
manufacturers were willing to cut
prices down to the lowest point in
securing business. and re-establishing
connection in the South. American
| trade.
In German diplomatic circles here,
it is understood, a well-organized
commercial drive has been under
way covering all sections of the
country for the past fourteen
months. This drive has been largely
under the supervision Of the com
mercial attachs. Within the coming
year, it is predicted, the quantity
of German-rnade goods sold here
will exceed that OF any former time.
Quantity Handled Here.
Washington dealers handle large
| quantities of German goods under
normal conditions, importers admit.
This Is due. it Is said, to the pres
ence in the. city of thousands of
Government clerks who consistently
seek the less expensive articles.
Illustrating the local tendency to
return to German-made goods is the
history of scissors during the past
year. A year ago the German line
was limited. It was mostly repre-