REPLIES TO CARD AND SCHEDULE INQUIRIES. 395
A manufacturer of bar iron, screws, bolts, etc., states:
Have not engaged in foreign trade, except to a small extent with Mexico and
(*anada, as cost of doing business on the amount of materials we could supply
under present conditions, is not sufficient to become competitive unless in cooperation
 with others.
A manufacturer of iron writes:
Our foreign trade opportunity came to us as a result of the war. We did not
seek it because we were unwilling to spend money to obtain a trade we did not
think we could hold after the conclusion of the war, and without better * organized
 means” than now exist, foreign trade can not be held by such a concern
AS Ours.
A large manufacturer of furnaces and steam-saving devices writes:
We have never made any effort to do an export business on account of the
expense attached under existing methods. Our interest in the matter is largely
patriotic, but we should undoubtedly arrange to experiment with the trade if
combinations were possible and approved.
An establishment engaged in canning sweet corn writes:
By combining on export orders, canners could work to advantage.
Another establishment engaged in the corn-canning industry
states

We consider our business too small to go out after what little export trade
we could handle in addition to our domestic business. We believe that with
B central organization to handle foreign sales, credits, etc, the small producer
 would be better able to handle export business than at present.
A large manufacturer of fiber-board shipping cases and boxes
writes:
We believe we could do a foreign business if we could sell through some
good organization at a price competitive with the open markets, were properly
posted on conditions, and had a price agreement based on a plan of competing
on losses with other foreign manufacturers.
A manufacturer of toilet paper and towels writes:
We do not engage in foreign trade and the reason is that we have been unable
 to get orders for carloads for export. We have not felt that we could afford
 to spend the time and money investigating and working up this business.
The proposed common selling agency would take care of this part for us.
A manufacturer of paper boards, tags, etc., stated that he had
received some foreign trade since the war started, and, with the
experience gained, he would be able to hold a portion of it after
the war, but, to accomplish results, the cooperation of the Federal
Government would be essential, and the cooperation of the manufacturers
 among themselves would be absolutely necessary.
A manufacturer of electric clocks gives as his reason:

Have no foreign trade on account of the expense of promoting our line
singly. Think, with noncompetitive combinations permissible and encouraged,
we could do an export business in considerable volume, which added volume
would lessen the cost here, insure a more steady demand. and lower the cost
to the United States consumer.

From a manufacturer of cement *

We do but little export business. We carefully investigated the matter and
came to the conclusion that as a company we could not afford to spend what is
necessary to properly work the Central and South American markets, whereas
we feel we can afford our pro rata share of a cooperative campaign, as we are
convinced it would bring us real results.