Evening star., 1927-12-04

During the last fiscal year, as shown
by the annual report of the Bureau OF
Foreign and Domestic Commerce OF
the Federal Department Of Commerce,
that governmental agency rendered
2,500, 900 commercial services to the
business interests OF the United
states.
Thsse services covered wide range.
Many OF them consisted in answering
tance, but each none the less distinct
aid to business. Others Of more bpe.
cific moment include the preparation
and issuance Of an atlas OF wholesale
grocery territories, which Is represent.
ed AZ having an actual value to the
trade OF not less than $5,000,0 900. Still
others that as yet are not susceptible
of concrete evaluation are the steps
taken toward working out solution
of the problem of eliminating the
waste In distribution.
In all, 1t 10 claimed, the bureaus
activities for the year were worth ap.
prokimately $500, 10000 to American
business, considered an amazing re.
turn on the cost of the bureau. which
was only $s,263,O0o Clearly" says
Or. Klein, the bureaus chief. "the
American taxpayer IL collecting most
substantial dividends on his invest.
nnent in the services OF this orsaniza.
tion."
The haif billion dollars which may
thus be entered on the credit side
Of the American business ledger, says
the report. includes. not only actual
orders secured BY manufacturers
akriculturists and exporters through
the assistance Of the bureaus for.
4ign and domestic branches. but also
speoific losses which were avoided be.
cause OF action taken in behalf OF
exporters or Information furnished to
them. The estimate is based Upon
actual returns from numerous com.
iiiercial and industrial enterprises.
Evidence Of the value of the bu.
reau'S work IL to be found, 1t is
pointed out, In the increasing mum.
Der of calls which the business inter.
ests OF the country are making on 1t.
The number Of trade promotion serv'
ices rendered last year was almost
25 per cent greater than that Of the
year before and Ave times that of
1929.
A Worldwide Service.
The bureau has commercial at.
taches and trade commissioners sta.
toned In all parts Of the world, and
in addition to the regular staif az
signed to general commercial and eco.
nornic investigations. now has in the
field "a special commodity trade rep
resentatives. Twelve Of the latter
were appointed during the last year
They are seeking markets for a wide
variety Of American commodities. in.
cluding automotive products. lumber
textiles and boots and shoes.
Members OF the group covering tex
tiles and boots and shoes, tor example,
are looked upon as special representa-.
tives OF New England industries and
exporters, and they are expected to
prove OF material assistance In i'm.
proving industrial and commercial
conditions In that section OF the coun.
try. That they have q big field IN
which to work 10 shown by the fact
that Of lso,0o0,o0o yards Of cotton
goods used in the Dutch East Indies IN
1926 only $4,000 yards were exported
from the United States, and OF 2SS,'
100000 yards imported by Egypt last
year this country supplied q mere 1884,
900 yards. while In other big markets
for cotton goods the percentage OF the
trade secured by American rnanufac'
turers IL even less. The success OF the
bureaus trade representatives In other
lines leads New England interests tt
be absolutely confident they will
greatly benefit from the service under.
taken for them, and they are already
preparing to take care Of the increased
volume OF business that In to flow in
to them.
Foreign Offices of the bureau are be-
coming Of increasing importance "a
first points OF contact for American
business men travelling abroad, ac'
cordins to DR.. Klein. In practically
all OF these branches the volume Of
callers increased during the last fiscal
year. Including not only travellers from
the United States, but also native
the number Of callers Increased 80 pei
cent, reaching q total Of $3.50.
Not little OF the efficiency of thu
foreign service during the past year Il
| credited to the enactment OF the Hocf
bill by the last Congress, whereby thu
| service was placed on q statutory and
| permanent basis. This 10 said to have
/ "pepped up" the entire overseas stan
As the foreign trade scouts are Assuret
henceforth a secure status.
Assisting I'm Biz Deals.
Numerous instances are cited In thu
report Of the sales helps that have
been given In closing big deals. Fol
example. the Madrid Office assisted di
rectly In obtaining for an American
| Arm an order for electric cars totaline
more than 100000. Through thu
aid of the Berlin ofiice an American
manufacturer OF lubricants secured
| $3oo. 900 Of new business In thre.
months. and the same Office lnelpet
American printing machinery export
ers to obtain orders amounting Il
3250, 900.