3 REPORT ON COOPERATION IN AMERICAN EXPORT TRADE.

In Japan an export organization of textile manufacturers is
rapidly obtaining the extensive cotton goods trade of North China.
The trade in tea is controlled by a nation-wide “tea council.” One
great Japanese firm, which in itself combines manufacturing, mining,
shipping, and merchandising enterprises, is rapidly extending Japanese
 trade in all lines throughout the Far East, and the Japanese
Government is directly assisting the development of shipping, bankng,
 and trading for foreign business.
The long established trade in British products in many markets
of the world, due to their pioneer position, the excellent representation
 afforded by British export houses, and the advantages of British
shipping and banking facilities, have enabled their manufacturers to
hold their foreign markets in many lines without such a large degree
»f combination as characterizes German industry. But in various
important industries combinations have grown up. Thus most of
the great coal export business .is done by powerful organizations,
sombining mine operators, marketing companies, coal shipping lines,
and foreign distributing companies. This gives British coal its grip
on the important South American market. British cement manufacturers
 are united in a strong and successful union for the extension
of their over-seas trade. Recently a number of large British manufacturers
 of machinery of all sorts have formed the Representation
for British Manufacturers (Ltd.), an organization to handle their
business in certain important foreign markets and to carry on an
aggressive campaign for its extension. Similar organizations for
foreign trade are in process of formation among other British manufacturers.
 In the electrical, cotton-textile, pottery, tobacco, wall
paper, iron and steel, and various other industries strong associations
and combinations are important factors in foreign and domestic
hiisiness.

It is against such organizations as these, uniting powerful groups of
foreign concerns, backed by great banks, aided by railway and ship
lines, and assisted by foreign Governments that hundreds of comparatively
 small American manufacturers and producers must
sompete if they engage in export trade. Moreover, in some industries
 such smaller manufacturers must also compete abroad with
great American companies having most efficient world-wide selling
organizations.
In various manufacturing industries higher manufacturing costs
and comparative inexperience in export trade make it extremely
Jifficult at best for Americans to compete with foreigners for trade
abroad. Therefore, meeting severe competition from powerful foreign
 combinations, and through dependence on foreign cables, telegraphs,
 banks and ships forced to risk exposure of the secrets of their
ver.seas business to their foreign competitors and to risk effective