TRADE WITH LATIN AMERICA 221 
age—that is they had read about it and heard 
people refer to it, but few really knew what it 
looked like or how it tasted. All were natu 
rally more or less suspicious of it. Nothing 
daunted the phlegmatic Teutons who had in 
vested their money in the erection of the plant 
in pursuing their stolid, predetermined plan 
of introducing beer as a national beverage in 
lieu of the light clarets and other wines, for 
merly so much in use in these countries. A 
building on the most prominent corner of the 
city of Caracas was leased and in it chairs and 
tables were arranged as in German beer halls, 
while adjacent to the bar at which the beer was 
served direct from the barrel, was a lunch 
stand which provided excellent delicatessen 
food. When everything was ready, invita 
tions were sent broadcast to the better class 
families to come and accept the hospitality of 
the brewing company without cost for the pur 
pose of becoming better acquainted with the 
health and strength-giving properties of real 
German beer. Physicians were “sampled” in 
detail and told when to prescribe and what to