344 REPORT ON COOPERATION IN AMERICAN EXPORT TRADE.

85, or 8 per cent, were of the opinion that combination or cooperation
 would be to their disadvantage.
The results of this inquiry are shown in the following statement :
TaBLE VII.—Summary of replies regarding advantage of export combinations.
Total schedules received. oo eecee eee memmmmem 1,410
Direct replies «eee eeeeeeeeeeeem= 1,008
Export combinations would be— .
AOVANTADE iii ili mm psi: TO
TD IBEUQTIUINTIUZD ewermsrormmis ioe 0 0 85
NonCOMMIttal cme oem m mmm em mmm mmm mmm mm mmm meme 324
Not answered ere remem 78
The following questions were included in class 1 (export commission
 houses, etc.), class 2 (domestic merchants, importers, etc.), and
class 8 (publicists, economists, lawyers, ete.) :
4. What would be the advantages and disadvantages of export combinations
or cooperative organizations of manufacturers or producers as compared with
individual manufacturers or producers exporting through commission houses,
manufacturers’ export agents, etc.?
5. In what ways, if at all, could such export organizations meet the competition
 of foreign combinations or individual,concerns in export trade any more
successfully than individual manufacturers or producers can now do?
6. In what ways, if at all, could such export organizations deal more successfully
 with combinations of foreign buyers?
The interest in these subjects is indicated from the fact that from
75 to 86 per cent of the schedules received contained replies to these
inquiries. These questions are discussed fully later. (See pp. 349
to 367.)
The total number of those answering and not answering these three
inquiries are shown in the following statement:

Question 4:
Total schedules received....-.
Answered.......
Not aaswered.. .
Question 5:
Total schedules received..........
Answered.......-Not
 answered...
Question 6:
Total schedules received. .c.cceeeeieenacertorsesncncnncacccneneer
Answered......
Not answered .

Exportars.


103
01
12

02
0
27

Domestic]
mer- | General
chants.

at
56
10

426
365
81

420
363
63

65
47
18

428
328
\ QR

t Covers publicists, economists, lawyers, bankers, engineers, contractors, etc.
MEMBERSHIP AND EFFECT OF EXPORT COMBINATIONS OR COOPERATIVE
0rRGANIzATIONS.—The expression of opinion in response to questions
4, 5, and 6 of the manufacturers’ schedule and to similar questions
{ 2, and 3) of the schedule sent to exporters, etc., domestic merchants
 and importers, and publicists, economists, etc., is very suggestive.
 These three questions were as follows:

1. Irrespective of your opinion as to whether the Iaw does not prohibit com:
binations or cooperative organizations, solely for export business, among
American manufacturers or producers by common selling agencies or by other
means, please give the reasons why you think such organizations are or are not
In the public interest.
2. If you think export combinations desirable, please state your opinion, with
your reasons, as to whether they should—
(a) Be open to all manufacturers or producers in the United States in their
respective lines, or have the right to exclude any concern at pleasure?