Evening star., 1928-06-03
Our Bond With Argentina

poftunitleS FOR mutually helplul ec0'
nomic relationship. The agricultural anc
pastoral development of our Middle
West was so Strikingly like that OF thu
Argentine that. although some of oul
products still compete with those of thu
for understanding among our Western
industries agricultural implements
farm supplies. etc,--whose experience
in meeting the needs of our own farm
erS puts them in position to serve
effectively the similar demands of thi
estancieros of the pampaS,
IN the past those who would dis
courage our efforts ~ Latin american
trade generally have made much Of the
alleged nadequacy OF our credit terms
but the irrefutable fact remains that
the operations of our exporters, whoSc
firms have had long experience at home
in selling farm equipment, as we'll as
sewing machines. automobiles, etc, on
plan. have been an outstanding element
in the success of our trade with the
River Plate countries.
Labor Shortage Faced.
Furthermore, so ia. as industrial
growth is concerned, Argentina has
been faced with precisely the same
problem Of labor shortage which has
been constantly before our manufacture
ing concerns, Labor-saving machinery
is, therefore, a paramount necessity
and in this field American inventive
genius has been compelled to develop
every ounce of its ingenuity. For this
/ reason. as the program of industrial
diversification proceeds in the Argen-
tine. there should be abundant oppor
tunitieS for mutually profitable rela-
lions with American manufacturers OF
machinery, factory equipment, sup
plies, etc.
An impression has been current In
some quarters that our trade with the
! Argentine is faced with disaster because
Of the inrosds of European competition.
Our headway IN recent years in that
market. it is alleged. has been based
largely upon iIl-gotten wartime loot.
which will b. taken from US as soon
! as our European rivals are prepared to
make real effort. AS matter of fact.
they have had ample time for such a
're-conquest." but the problem is not
one of pilferage Of trade.
Our exports to the Argentine are very
predominantly made up of commodities
which Europeans have never supplied
/ in abundance and show no prospect of
providing. Last year our major ex-
port items we're very prominently con-
nected with the automotive trade
/ S26, 500, 900 worth of trucks and passen-
ger cars, $1,000. 900 in gasoline and
/ 81. 800 600 in lubricating oil In each
Of these items Europe is heavy con-
sumner rather than substantial
exporter.
European Trade There.
/ American export commerce of Eng
{ land anc Germany finds It's outlet In
+ the Argentine. Obviously, some of that
/ is in direct competition with our traffic.
/ but the actual volume Of overlap be-
! tween our potential sales and those of
/ Europe is not as great as one would
/ suppose on the basis of the complaints
] made by occasional sufferers in COM
/ petitive rivalries
A recent editorial in the London
/ Times points out that despite the Ar
/ gentine prejudice against the United
/ States as q ''neighbor at once materially
| powerful and spiritually alien. the
American salesman has been able to
secure market in the Argentine by
providing articles his buyers really
want The power 10 offer a standard
article cheap. combined with a willing
selling. Is standing the Americans in
very good stead
The problem of improving trade re-
/ lationshfps between the United States
and the Argentine Is occasionally COM
/ plicated by the more exuberant en-
/ tausiagts whose after-dinner orations
/ imply that the great southern Republic
/ offers absolutely unlimited trade DOS
/ siDiiities. This view Is. Of course, quite
| as erroneuus az that other absurd as
i sumption. that being Latin American
! the Argentine In simply nest OF revo-
/ iutions, indolent half-breeds and primi-
/ tive frontier life, characterized by pic
! tureSque "nloyie"-nke costumes and
/ exotic dances.
Obstacles Yet Faced.
| Both Of these views are, Of course,
equally erroneous. Well informed Ar
gentine leaders realize full well that
I there are still tremendous obstacles 10
/ be overcome, roads 10 be laid out, water
/ power 10 be developed, formidable cIi-
matte and geographic obstacles To be
/ overcome
But those difncuIties have been pre-
I eiSeiy matched in many parts AZ our
oEn westward expansion Clearly,
therefore. the commercial relationships
J between the two countries will be bound
70 grow steadily more intimate. That
/ is ore reason why American capital
( has iylgtinctiYely found an outlet II
! the Argentine in the development Of
/ the packing industry mining and Of
other undertakings similar TO those Of
/ our own Middle and Far West.
The total American capital now IN
| vested In Argentine enterprises tncIud-
3 ing government bonds, is 1873 000. 900
ss compared with $40 000. 600 in 1912
Even with reference 10 cultural con-
( facts, though the Argentine snstiuctively
! feels the racial and linguistic bond Eith
Latin Europe, there is much Of the cgii-
/. f51Fe Of the Western World In both oi
: It's continents. that is unique as con-
/ tysstsd ~ath Europe.
Bonds In Common.
| Eact of these republics has the same
Z sturdy Doc3ety Of vigorous. recently
/ frontier peopiss~-and In this respeet
there - bound 10 be q continuing rap
/ procurement between tEeir respective
j gngsneegs. Industrial leaders, technical
F.. ec0ea1ogs and scientists. Cultural and
other ceep hands DetBeen nations can
! not be taken for granted merely on the
basis o. sl9n!iaEiiles 81 language and
saTs~-gitTc&8 the decided contrasts be-
tween the Whole social fabric of Eng
] lSnc ard fbe United Gtates
Tns problem u improved economic
relationship between the two countries
would seens 10 gesolYe jtSeif not ant0
any question ~ respective superiority
os lf1teFsosity oF this Or that item, eY
seeklag out nicely balanced. logical, .
bit entirely uysccononicai parity oa
{ twe~Bsy commerce, bit rather of dis
covering tfe many ways IN which the
scoy2onI5e SDf Industrial experiences oi
each might b. helgfgi ~ the other II
r 3s&eeed gratifying 10 observe the sub
s'zh'ssl progress that i1as already beeE
maze slong this line and the encoar.
sz'19 Dgproiae thus afforded for The fl.
F2ye.