St. Paul recorder. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1934-2000, 1945-01-26
By Harold Preece

All of US feel mighty "hepped
up" because a delegation of five
American Negro newspapermen is
now in Africa making contact with
colored publishers and business
men of that old continent which
mothered mankind's first civiiza-
tions.
For this war has brought the
colored peoples together like long.
lost brothers. 1t has brought the
colored peoples of Alabama and
Arkansas closer to the colored peo-
pies of Asia and Africa. 1t has
brought the colored peoples of the
United States closer to the colored
peoples of Asia and Africa.
We will stay close together be-
cause we are going to learn how
to buy and sell from each other.
That's as plain as the nose on your
face.
Two weeks ago, in this column,
I urged Negro business men of the
United States to develop trade re-
lations with Latin America. in
vited those business men and any
body else who was interested to
send me their opinions on this
proposition which might do much
to lift our people in this country
from the back streets and the back
stores.
Well, brothers, the response has
been great. And most of those who
wrote me want to know what would
be the best way for Negro business
men to start trading with Latin
America.
That one isn't as hard to answer
as some of you might think. It's
true that investment capital, owned
by Negroes, is limited. But it's also
true, as my colleague, Dan Gard
ner, has pointed out in his column,
"Plain Talk" that Negroes have
accumulated more capital, during
this war, than they have ever pos
sessed at any time in the nations
history. It's true, too, that money
has to work if men are to work. I
don't have the figures with me but
I am told that Negro bank deposits
have reached an all-time high; that
the same thing can be said of in
surance in force with Negro COM
panies, that Negro real estate in
vestments are higher than they
have been at any time, and that
Negro business is showing a sur
plus profit which can be reinvested
for more trade and more jobs for
our people.
Let's put that extra money to
work in Latin America to bring
prosperity for our brothers here
and prosperity for our brothers
down there.
Now, you've got first to find out
what your customers want before
you can make your sale. I'd like
to propose that the National Ne
gro Business League send a dele
cation of representative business
men, down to Latin America to see
what the people down there want
and how Negro business can sup
ply these wants.
You've got to spend money to
make money. 1 would like to sug-
gest, too, that we raise funds to
advertise our goods to the peo-
pie of Latin America.
That's one perspective-sending
down a delegation and spending
some money. Here's another:
Latin American firms are con-
stantly advertising in their gov
ernmental trade bulletins, issued in
this country, for manufacturers
agents to handle their products in
the United States. They also ask
that United States business men
write them about handling United
States products in their countries.
The Brazilian Trade and Infor-
nation Bulletin, published at SOL
Fifth Avenue, New York City, has
at least two pages of these ads in
every issue. There is no charge for
this bulletin-you can get put on
its mailing list simply by writing
the address given above.
There are capable Negro business
men who could qualify as manu-
facturers agents for Latin Ameri-
can goods in this country. There are
others who have goods to sell to
Latin America but who need only