REPLIES TO CARD AND SCHEDULE INQUIRIES. 359
Similarly a professor of economics writes:
If a commission house should conform to certain requirements the practical
difference between it and a special agency of a combination would be small.

Export CoMBINATIONS AS AN A IN MEETING FOREIGN COMPETITION.
Question No. 5, addressed to the same classes as question No. 4, was
as follows:
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 could do?
This question was answered by 502 members of these classes, out
of a total of 594 who returned schedules. The majority of the replies
favored export organization as an aid to meet competition of foreign
combines or individuals.
The advantages of combinations, as named in the replies, may be
summarized under three heads:
(1) The greater economy, uniformity, knowledge, and efficiency
which would result from cooperative action.
(2) The greater ability to meet and cope with the methods of foreign
 competition, combined or individual. Ability to cut prices and
carry losses, to advertise extensively, to eliminate export competition
by home concerns, to take risks, etc. Probably the majority of benefits
 recited would come under this classification.
(8) The greater ability to tempt foreign buyers by offering better
 prices and goods, quicker deliveries, longer credits, larger assortments
 and quantities, and better adapted products. The study of
foreign needs and tastes and the adaptation of products to those requirements
 instead of attempting (as now) to educate foreign consumers
 to the use of our products, was repeatedly mentioned.
Several respondents gave qualified approval of export organizations,
 declaring that they were important for small producers but
would be of no use to large ones.
The disadvantages urged were as follows:
(1) The general Snafeqny of export organizations to meet the
situation. Sh replies declared our foreign trade is artificial and
unnatural and can not be maintained or developed at present; others,
that export organization would lack the keenness of individual
interest and would be large and unwieldy.
(2) The bad effect on home conditions was the theme of several
other opponents of the idea. Lower wages, poor working conditions,
and high prices were predicted as a result if the plan were put into
operation.

A. ADVANTAGES.

1. GREATER ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY IN MECHANISM OF PRODUCING
AND EXPORTING—L ower costs.—An economist wrote :

Most manufacturing plants can increase their output by running at full or
fuller capacity. This lessens the cost per unit because of the distribution of
overhead charges. It follows that if an industry puts out enough to supply the
home market only, the overhead charges are higher for each unit. If, in addition
 to this output, more be produced, the selling price may be lowered and
with a profit, if only the added costs be taken into account.