Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-09-05
III. S. BUSINESS GAIN
| SEEN IN ENGLAND
Americans Make Progress
Despite Barriers of
High Tariffs.
BY J. c. ROYLE.

Special Cable to The Star.
LONDON. September 5.-England os-
tensibly is free trade country. but In
reality the majority OF the nanufac-
tured goods made by the United States
and exported to England are highly
dutiable 1t is through these duties
that English manufacturers now are
making. and will continue to make.
vigorous resistance against the capture
Of their home markets by Americans.
There are but few manufactured ar
ticles. outside of actual food products,
which do not carry tariff charges OF
over 30 per cent
Despite this fact. the volume of bust
ness done by American manufacturers
is growing. They have not, however,
succeeded In dominating this market as
they had an opportunity to do after the
war. This is, the case regarding auto
mobiles. typewriters. Office equipment.
filing systems, and score of other
lines.
FOCliShmen are loath to comment on
the situation. but Americans long in
London attribute this partial failure to
monopoli2e some English markets to
faulty advertising. unwllllngneSS 10
adopt certain English sales methods,
and failure to recognize and take adj
vantage of the English psychology
American motor cars are intensely
popular, but they are very nigh priced
Since many American cars Tor the Brit
ish trade are made in Canada, TINS cam
not be attributed to the high tariff. TO
some extent it Is blamed on the British
distributors, but there has grown up an
unfortunate feeling that there Is a de-
sire on the part of the American makers
to wiring the English market dry"
One American firm. which makes a
car that sells for about $1,000 here, Is
reported to have spent a large sum
obtaining the Endorsement OF 20 mem
hers of the British nobility. These
Endorsements formed the start of an
extensive and expensive newspaper ad-
vertiSing campaign.
English advertising men say that the
possible customers for the car were fully
coenizant of the financial straits of
many of the indorsers and that these
Endorsements did not impress them IN
the slightest. The advertising men say
that If this kind of advertising had been
done in behalf of cheap car 1t might
have been very effective.
In spite of these facts. the sale of
American motor cars is growing. So
is the sale of American typewriters.
But sales of English typewriters have
taken sudden squirt also as a result
of King Georges announcements about
the use Of British machines
British manufacturers have their own
rates as they call them. to contend
with. Taxes of all sorts are terrifically
high and operate almost as much to
the detriment of the British manufac-
turers as the tariff initiates against
American imports to Britain
The fact remains that American man
ufacturers will have to fight every step
Of the way for the British markets But
more important than this is the fact
that in the other markets of the world
IN which Great Britain Is the main
competitor of America. the former has
only small chance of future success
England will continue to be danger
Gus rival in steel, iron and some steel
products She will probably continue tc
dominate the foreign coal trade. owing
to her position In shipping. she will be
a factor in world textile markets a;
long as spindles turn and shuttles clack
but In the industries which In America
are the key industries, she has been fei
outstripped.
1t will be years, however, before Eng
land will be profitable market fol
electric or gas refrigeration equipment
First must come real conversion To tht
use of ice. and that missionary work /,
not going to be accomplished In few
months. The radio field Is almost I'M.
scratched. Great Britain eventually vii
offer wonderful field for the sale o.
radio equipment, and 1t now is within
the power of the American manufac.
turers to make that market their own