112 REPORT ON COOPERATION IN AMERICAN EXPORT TRADE.

mitted the education of promising young Chinese as engineers at
schools and universities in Germany at the expense of German business
 organizations, as well as the establishment of an engineering
school in Shanghai with German engineering equipment and German
instructors for the training of young Chinese in China in German
engineering standards, methods, equipment, etc., all for the fostering
of German trade in the Orient. It colonized German business agents
all over the world and used German residents abroad to aid the
evelopment of foreign trade.
EXPORT EFFORTS OF TRADE ASSOCIATIONS.—German trade associations
 devote special attention to export business. Practically all
the more important associations in the manufacturing industries
which engage in exporting make this one of the features of their
work. The Association of German Machine Tool Manufacturers
has made a study of export trade with special reference to the comvetition
 of American manufacturers and has actively opposed the
srade of the latter. The Electrical Manufacturers’ Association has
made special studies of the tariffs and commercial treaties of foreign
countries. and has obtained many changes in both which have beneted
 German exporters of electrical equipment. It keeps its members
informed of new street railway and power-plant projects in other
countries, suggests valuable foreign connections and representatives
and performs other functions for the extension of the foreign trade
of its members.
The Centralverband Deutscher Industrieller endeavors to promote
 export trade, issues foreign trade directories and bulletins, and
supports a bureau for the study of commercial intercourse with other
nations and for the preparation of commercial treaties favorable
to German trade. German business men have felt the great importance
 of commercial treaties and in addition to the activities
of the Centralverband and other associations there is also a special
organization for this particular purpose. It is called the Commercial
 Treaty Association (Handelsvertragsverein) and has some 9,000
members, including perhaps 150 associations. It publishes a regular
paper entitled Deutscher Aussenhandel, as well as special bulletins
from time to time, and makes a constant and careful study of German
 commercial relations.
Realizing the value of proper representation at important expositions
 and fairs, the German export interests prior to the war maintained
 a permanent exposition commission. This body advised
German manufacturers whether representation at any particular
exposition would be likely to prove beneficial. When it approved of
an exhibit being made it assisted in the preparation, and worked hand
in hand with the Imperial Government, which was represented on