The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1924-06-26
SEEKING
Of FOREIGN
MARKETS
Exporter Asserts Slack Periods
Can Be Offset by Selling
Goods Abroad
BY w. 8. COUSINS,
international News Service.

mGefnablOmAl NEWS Service
CHICAGO, June 20. - For every
man can be a foreigner who buys
American goods, whether he lives
in China or Europe. But the man
around the corner, to whom you
never sell a dollars worth, may be
a total stranger in q commercial
sense"
This was the foreign trade slogan
expressed to me by Walter F..
Wyman, the export manager of
bridge, Mass. Through the adOp-
ton Of intensive methods, Mr.. wy
man declared, New England has
greatly expanded its foreign trade
In recent years, and there are today
more manufacturers in New Eng
land with an export volume of
20 per cent or more Of their pro-
duction than in any other section
cf the country.
New England has been more
fortunate since the end of the war
than some other sections Of the
country as regards foreign COM
merce," Mr.. Wyman said, because
Of the fact that, while the demand
for foodstuffs and raw materials in
foreign markets has fallen off, the
exports of manufactured articles
have gone ahead in every respect.
Consequently. New England, which
is one of the most highly developed
manufacturing sections, has had
proportionately larger volume of
outside trade than the rest OF the
country.
Geography FavOring Factor.
again New England is geo.
graphically favored, whether this
exports from her manufacturers
are shipped through the port OF
Boston or that of New York. The
bulk Of foreign sales are made t. o.
b. Boston or New York, conse-
Quently there Is less of O freight
than in interior points. If ship
ments are made to the Far East the
lower water rates more than offset
the distance in miles from points
geographically nearer the point of
consumption"
The greatest handicap to foreign
trade today is not the limitations
llof foreign markets, Mr.. Wyman de.
clared, but the unwillingness of
American manufacturers to make
the necessary sales effort to secure
a profitable volume of export trade.
The greatest inconsistencies, Mr..
WyMan maintained, are found In
the foreign trade departments OF
big American Industrial organi3a-
tons, few of which have yet
learned to put the same punch"
into their foreign trade as into the
domestic business.
n A SfAxnw g. AaaNa
realize that they can balance their
business in goods for which there
IL seasonal demand by cultivating
outside markets, Mr.. Wyman de-
clared. Thus the manufacturers Of
heavy clothing, whose home mar
kets are severely restricted for SIX
months Of the year, can build up a
well rounded twelve months bust.
ness through the cultivation Of for
eign markets.
There are many markets in the
world. and all Of them do not enjoy
prosperity or suffer depression at
the same time" he said.
Opportunity In Far East.
Mr.. Wyman said that the Far
East offers the best opportunities
for American foreign trade today.
not only because OF size and the
comparatively higher purchasing
power, but also Hecause there is q
growing appreciation Of the high
quality of American goods. From
the American standpoint 1t is well
to remember increasing productive
capacity Of our industrial mechan-
ism and the probable falling off in
consumption in the next year
make imperative the finding OF out
sloe sources or consumption. Ameri.
cans who carefully choose their
markets and refuse to allow them.
selves to be dragged into trade
channels of which they know moth
ing have an excellent opportunity
to build up a permanent and profit.
able business, he declared.
More and more Americans are
going into the export trade" said
Mr.. Wyman, land are doing It well,
Unlike their foreign competitors,
they do not consider their goods
sold until they leave the shelves Of
retail dealers. Americans have the
foreigner backed off the map In CO.
operating with retailers for the con.
sumner sale Of the commodities
shipped to them. The result Is a
heavy local sale Of American goods
in many places heretofore monopo-
lized by foreigners"
Mr.. Wyman praised the co-opera.
ton Of foreign trade service Of the
Federal Department Of Commerce.
Under the direction Of Secretary
Hoover, he said, this bureau has
shown itself to be a real help to
American exporters. He condemned
the European system Of extending
abnormally long credits to foreign
purchasers, particularly in South
America. An improvement il also
noted in the methods Of packing
American goods for the foreign
markets, he said.
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