The Waterbury Democrat., 1942-06-01
TRADE PLAN IN
LATIN AMERICA
IS PEACE need

i
United Press Latin American Editor
Washington, June 1--American
businessmen with long years Of ex-
perience in Latin America are ex-
pressing growing interest In post
war trade relations between the
United States and the good neigh
Dor countries" to the south.
Many important United States
government agencies, such as the
agriculture and commerce depart
nents, the Export Import Bank Of
Washington and the Office Of the
Coordinator Of inter- American AZ
fairs headed by Nelson A. Rockefel-
Ter, have sent representatives and
missions on tours and visits to South
and Central America in the interest
Of trade and industrial relations.
Urges Long Range Plan
However, the activities Of these
representatives have been tied UP
with immediate problems for the
most part. Among them are loans
and credits to the neighboring coun-
tries to aid In development Of stra-
tegic raw materials which are need
ed In the United States war effort;
assistance in maintaining the ex-
change value Of the national cur
rencies Of those countries; aid in fl
nancing public works, such as high
ways, railways, port facilities, power
projects and sanitation installations.
These public works serve to combat
unemployment caused by industrial
slumps as result Of loss Of Euro
pean markets.
A retired American business man
who spent nearly three decades In
South American countries, said this
week, however, that the United
States would do well to plan a long
range program for the purpose Of
preserving its trade position with
the Latin American countries when
peace comes.
This business man recalled the
situation that existed after the end
Of World War I.
Europe Moved In
"Great Britain, Germany and 9TH
er countries Immediately needed La
tin American products" he said.
For example, they provided a big
market for Argentine beef an dee
reals, hides and wool. They made
tremendous purchases, and the only
way they could pay for them was
with their own manufactured pro-
ducts-rnachinery, textiles, office
appliances, chemicals, electrical
goods, etc.
"A trade war between the United
States and Europe ensued. The
South American exporting countries
were virtually forced to buy from
the countries to which they sold.
Those European countries, with pro-
duction costs lower than those pre-
vailing in the United States soon
gained preferential position In
trade competition.
1.-THE principal products Of most
,of the Latin American countries to-
day are those which compete with
United States products.
However, the United States could
organize number of industrial and
trade commissions, composed Of ex-
perienced technicians, to be assigned
to various Latin American countries.
Assured u. s. Market
"They could make a detailed study
In each country Of the non-compe-
titive products which the United
States could buy, and which hither-
to have been imported from other
world areas by this country. This
study could enbody plans for Or
ganizing industries to produce and
develop those products.
Production enterprises could be
financed by the Export-Import Bank
but with a workable system whereby
the borrowing country would sys-
tematically an1ortize the bank Gre
dts.
I'm the end these Latin American
countries would have established
new and important industries, own
ed by themselves with no foreign
control whatever, and with an as
sured market for them in the Unit
ed States, the worlds richest buy
ing market.
And the sale Of those products
would provide ample dollar ex-
change for the producing countries
to acquire United States-made goods
and raw materials"