CONDITIONS IN PARTICULAR INDUSTRIES. 309

The plan further contemplates a thorough examination of the
Latin-American market, the sending of salesmen to the Central and
South American countries, the storage of a stock in foreign warehouses,
 the establishment of proper financial relations with foreign
customers, and other necessary details for the creation of an effective
marketing organization.
It is claimed that such a joint export company would enable the
smaller eastern producers to develop a valuable export business. It
sould take contracts which now are too large for any one of the
smaller companies to handle, and by subdividing such orders all the
participants would share in the business. It could also afford the
study of markets, the advertising, demonstration, and solicitation of
business by experts, and it could keep a permanent organization in
Latin America. Such work will be necessary to obtain and hold
trade in South America in the face of competition from the European
combinations. Moreover, to be profitable, &amp; large business must be
developed in order to reduce the selling cost per barrel. No one of
the smaller companies can now undertake such a campaign, but
together they can. Moreover, with one single ‘epresentative handling
large orders and making more frequent shipments they could doubtless
 obtain better charter rates to South America than can now be
secured for occasional small lots.
Increased export trade to South America would be particularly
beneficial to these producers, at the same time that it was creating
the bulk cargoes needed for better ocean-freight rates on general traffic
 to the southern continent. The building of cement mills in New
York, West Virginia, and to the westward of the Lehigh district has
left this region with a large potential overproduction. Competition
has been very severe and prices at the minimun for several years.
The development of a greater export trade would e'p to relieve this
situation and would tend to lower production costs ‘Ff rough operation
nearer to full capacity. Moreover, the usual slackening of demand
in winter through the lessening of construction work in the North
Temperate Zone during that season would be materially remedied,
for winter here is the summer season in South America, when construction
 work and the demand for cement are at their height.
Hence increased South American business would be especially efficacious
 in giving steadier operation, since such orders wonld be filled
at the time of lowest domestic demand.
Without cooperation of the kind outlined the smai'er ranufacturars
 near the Atlantic coast can not hope for more than nccasional
small export orders in the face of the competition of tt » large American
 producers and the more vigorous opposition of the powerful combinations
 of foreign manufacturers. With such joint action they can