PAN-PACIFIC TRADE

Hokitika Guardian, 7 March 1922, Page 3

PAN-PACIFIC TRADE

AMERICA’S BOLD BID. SAN FRANCISCO, January 31. Alarmed at her fast disappearing foreign trade, America has initiated a bold bid for a share of the important trade development in the Orient, and a coterie of influential Western American commercial heads have just returned to California after exhaustively investigating the possibilities of building up a much larger share of trade in China, Japan and other countries bordering the Pacific Ocean. The commercial men of San Francisco played a leading part in this trip to the Orient in quest of business, and the views of the pilgrims have been eagerly anticipated, owing to t’ h e stagnation of export trading between Americans and many big industrial centres in the Orient.

Outlining a score or more commercial duties business men of America, and San Francisco in particular, must do to incriea'so thair trade across the Pacific, the executive committee of the San Francisco commercial relation delegation to the Far Fast have just filed tneir report with the San Francisco Cnamber of Commerce. A three months’ tour of the Orient terminating with the return to the mainland a few days ago, gave the American trade envoys an opportunity to learn first-hand what is to be done in increasing this traffic. Development of closer relations with the people of the Orient is strongly urged throughout the report, aii<l in this connexion San Francisco is asked to be strongly represented at the PanPacific Union, when delegates from all countries bordering on the Pacific Ocean will meet at Honolulu later fhis year. KEEN COMPETITION. America, to survive commercially in the Far East, is “up against’’ the keenest competition since the war, and exporters may have to make some sacrifice in order to build up a permanent future business, according to the report which devotes much space to the subject of foreign banking and credits, with the declaration that more liberal Banking methods must Vc developed if the trade is to be held, The delegates found that British bank's in the Orient extended much more favourable facilities to customers than ally of the American banking institutions were disposed to offer. 'Pile development of credit organisations which are able to op- [ crate on an equally f»r >ad scale was urged in the report. "

| Touching the American foreign trade policy, the report stated: “Practically every important trading country in the world with the exception of the United States has a fixed policy with reference to this commerce ' While the difficulties of formulating and carvying forward such a policy in the United States lire recognised, nevertheless it 7s the com iction of this commission that a policy giving liberal support and advantages to America’s organisations for foreign trade must be defined and carried on free from politics. “American merchants in the Orient face competition, already occupying a favourable position, and carry the additional handicap of Federal taxation from which competing nationals of other ciountnies are exempt.. Transportation companies under the American flag write off higher expenses than competitors, and still have to meet price or rate requirements. “Government employees for foreign service are not equipped as are those of other countries. Little encouragement is given the American merchant in his effort to carry the American flag abroad. This committee submits that it is imperative that the people of the United States, through the Government develop a policy which will remove any bruVieis or handicaps under which American business abroad is forced to labour, and from which competing citizens of other countries are exempt.” REPEIKSENTATIVES HAMPERED.

Development of Government service abroad is suggested with this language; •‘lt has been the observation of the committee that .American embassies, consulates and other Government offices abroad are not provided with housing and office facilities and personnel on a basis comparable with those of important countries and that as a result our Government representativ

are hampered in the performance of their duties.”

In conclusion the report. which is 10,000 words in length, says; “San Francisco must widely and substantially capitalise geographical position, the developing importance of the Pacific commercial area, and the goodwill that the peoples of the Orient have for the United States. San Francisco must learn to translate ‘broad opportunity’ into sound undertakings and' beneficial interchanges. “Let our readers in finance and industry go far afield to meet in person the people of the Orient, and study at first hand their wants, needs, and general conditions ; let our ablest dedicate themselves to Pan-Pacific commercial development. Then let them show us how we may all co-operate to make San Francisco an international centre of dominating importance in commerce and finance, worthy of our opportunity and mindful of our obligations.” The American commercial authorities have discovered that the host method of developing foreign trade is to send efficient trade representatives to the countries overseas and not depend on a few catalogues sent indiscriminately to large cities. Long ago American business heads notified by Mr Niel Nielsen, former resident trade commissioner for Australia, in the United States, that this method would have to he pursued, of sending qualified trade agents to Australia and discontinue sending catalogues, which were not useful as trade developers. Frequently the catalogues covered goods not suitable for Australia, Very little notice was taken of this pertinent advice at that time, hut it is significant that the trade envoys to the Far Fast have now discovered that the Australian trade commissioner's words, were golden, words of advice to them if America i s to establish any showing in the business world overseas in these days when all nations are fighting for supremacy in the business world.