REPLIES TO CARD AND SCHEDULE INQUIRIES. ‘3178
A large importer and exporter of crude base metals wrote:
We consider cooperative organizations or combinations for the sale for export
desirable in the public interest because we believe that, by eliminating competition
 in the foreign markets, articles exported can be sold to better advantage
and the cost of sales could be reduced by handling the product through one instead
 of through many selling agents. It seems a pity that for products for
which this country has practically a monopoly, it should be possible that the
foreign markets can dictate prices to us, particularly if buyers in foreign
countries are allowed to combine and we are not.
Greater employment for capital and labor.— Another group is composed
 of over 170 replies stating that export combinations are in the
public interest because thereby capital or labor will have greater and
more permanent employment, labor will receive better wages, etc.
Most of them refer only to benefits which will accrue to labor. Thus,
a professor of political science wrote:

The greatest benefit of foreign commerce can, however, only come when we
shape the conditions in such a manner that manufacturers possessing an avernge
 capital will find it an advantage to seek foreign connections. It is only in
this way that foreign trade, as a regulative of American labor conditions, can
have its greatest effect. This is the way also in which at all times foreign trade
may have its greatest influence in furnishing steady employment to labor. -
A large manufacturer of heavy machinery, exporting 10 per cent
of his product, wrote:
Anything that will take the surplus that has now become a fact in 75
per cent of our factories will tend to make wages stable and prevent the
necessity of discharging part of your force each year for part of the time.
Unless our Government willigive us the same aid and assistance that is given
by foreign Governments to their manufacturers, we shall go through periods
of extreme depression accompanied by strikes and suffering of the workers.
Competition of this sort is just the same and the effect is the same as unfair
domestic competition. It may be unfortunate, but it is a fact that must be met;
we have all developed our factories far beyond home demand, and in doing
this have brought the workers from the country and from abroad to the towns,
and I see no way that they can be sent back or returned to former ways of
living. Therefore, the only remedy seems to be to stabilize work.
A small manufacturer of electric motors and dynamos, exporting
15 per cent of his product, wrote:
I believe combinations for foreign development to be for the best interest of
the public because they will secure the largest amount of business at maximum
prices, resulting in the greatest employment of labor at the highest wages.
Resultant stability of demand.—Closely connected with the above
group are about 85 replies assigning the reason that stability of demand
 will result from the increase of foreign trade effected by combination,
 that this will counteract the effect of periods of domestic
depression, etc. Many of them are counted in the previous group
because they also included in their reasons the resultant beneficial
effect on labor conditions. Thus a prominent western railroad man
wrote *

I think combinations or cooperative organizations for export business among
American manufacturers and producers are desirable and in the public interest
 * * * because it is decidedly in the public interest that our manufacturers
 and producers seek and obtain wider foreign markets for their
products in order that they may stabilize and keep: their producing capacity
employed during periods of domestic depression and Increase their ability to
purchase raw materials and furnish continuous employment to labor at reinunerative
 wages.