8370 REPORT ON COOPERATION IN AMERICAN EXPORT TRADE.
Thus a small manufacturer of power hammers, exporting about 10
per cent of his product, wrote:
We believe cooperation the only way to largely exploit export trade. Such
an organization in the machinery trade, for instance, would.lead to largely
increased exports.

A large smelting and refining company wrote:

Such combinations would reduce and distribute the cost of the export business
 ; would introduce new and greater facilities for carrying it on; would tend
to create new markets and enlarge existing ones; would greatly increase the
foreign trade of the whole country ; and would bring into the country additional
wealth, furnishing means for new investments, greater employment, and more
wages—all to the necessary benefit of the public as a whole.
A large manufacturer of iron and steel wrote:

Combinations of manufacturers can and would be justified in prorating losses
on sales for export in order to gain a foothold in any foreign market, or at times,
when domestic business was depressed, make forced sales abroad even at or
below cost in order to employ idle capacity and labor, whereas an individual
would not be in position to do so without greater sacrifice.
A large manufacturer of locks and other hardware wrote:
Such cooperative organizations are desirable: primarily in the interest of
manufacturers, but if successful, they would be secondarily in the interest of
the public because they would tend to secure for the United States business
which otherwise would not or could not be obtained, and thereby benefit all
interests contributing to. such business. If unsuccessful, all of the burden
and loss would fall on the manufacturers, not on the public.
A manufacturer of toys, exporting 20 per cent of his product,
wrote *

There are now many markets that we can not afford to exploit, because the
volume of business in our particular line that might be developed would not
warrant the outlay necessary to secure it, but might profitably be done in cooperation
 with other manufacturers of similar lines.

Included in the above group of 450, but expressing a slightly different
 aspect of the same idea, are about 60 replies to the effect that
combinations result in greater productivity, enable manufacturers
to increase their output, and produce a greater development of the
countrv’s resources. Thus a wholesale druggist wrote:

We believe such organizations are in the public interest, as they will assist
in developing American resources and employ American labor without, as far
as we can see, doing any harm to American consuming interests.
A vehicle manufacturer wrote:

It would tend to more highly develop our manufacturers, by reason of the
world competition in developing new methods and make a more highly developed
 class of workmen in addition to the large amount of money it would bring
into the country, a large part of which would be distributed in wages.

Participation of small concerns facilitated. —Another group includes
 nearly 800 replies assigning as a reason that cooperation makes
it possible for smaller concerns to participate in foreign trade, places
them on an equal footing in that respect with large corporations,
enables them to participate in the handling of large orders, etc.
Thus a Seattle banker wrote:

I am of the opinion that combinations or cooperative organizations solely for
export business should be permitted and legalized, if necessary to regulate
them, for the reason that the smaller concerns, unable ordinarily to maintain
foreign sales agencies or find the widest market for their wares would, under
the.cooperative plan, be placed upon an equal basis with their stronger fellow
merchants.