4 SELLING LATIN AMERICA States ever presented to any nation. The vir tual closing of all the doors of the export and import trade of the Old World and the almost total dependence heretofore of the Far East and Latin America, especially, on Europe for finance and trade connections made the war truly the psychological moment for us, as a nation, not only to overcome the lead of the European commercial world, but also to ce ment by other than ties of business the bonds of friendship due us not only on account of our ideal geographical position, but also be cause of our similar republican form of gov ernment. By embracing this extraordinary oppor tunity—apparently almost created for our ex press benefit, we being the only people able to profit by it—we can make the nations which formerly depended on Europe for support in their trade ventures our business allies, our sin cere friends and well-wishers, and at the same time bring about a new trade alignment so that all America will reap the benefit. Let us briefly consider some of the enormous