Evening Republican, Volume 23, Number 277, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 19 November 1920 — French Fairs Drawing Cards [ARTICLE]

French Fairs Drawing Cards

Those Held at Paris, Lyons and Bordeaux Grow to Proportions of Expositions.

AMERICANS ARE TAKING PART Everything Conceivable Use In Foreign Lands Is Exhibited—May Revert to Bantering—Extension of Foreign Trade Planned. Paris. —French fairs of today have reached the proportion of expositions and have proved to be the best means of attracting buyers. The steady growth of the Lyons, Bordeaux and Paris fairs has not only created worldwide interest in them, but has added to the importance of international trade. Americans are participating tn them more and more, and at the last Lyons fair there were about 100 American exhibitors, in striking contrast to the dozen that displayed merchandise at the first one. There has also been a corresponding increase in the number of American buyers.

“For those who are unacquainted with the French fairs,” writes Dun’s correspondent at Paris, “it may not be amiss to state that the one at Lyons is held in the spring and fall, the one at Bordeaux in the early summer and the one at Paris in the late spring. At the Lyons fair silks are offered in the spring and machinery tn the fall. The Bordeaux fair, though only four years old, has established a place for Itself and has become particularly Important'Ttk a French colonial exhibition.

Means Much to Future. “This means a great deal to the future trade between America and France, for this great colonial port of France seeks to centralize at its fair everything from raphia to palm oil and from Yankee notions for Moroccans to petroleum engines for Madagascar. While the colonial products are more or less raw materials, the

finished products that the French colonies require are not wanting in the United States, whose foreign trade under the new order of thir.rs can be said to be still in its infancy. “An announcement of one of the exhibitors at the Bordeaux fair, now in progress, is suggestive of many things in foreign trade. It reads: ‘Sorghum Straw Brooms. This Important manufacturing house makes a specialty of brooms called American and of Spanish mftts and brushes. These are special articles for export. Representatives are sought for France and abroad.’ The house exhibiting these exotic wares has its factory in the south of France. There are many streets of exhibits that are not limited to articles de Paris. “To avoid any duplication of effort and to correct all conflicting plans, arrangements are now being perfected to have these three fairs co-ordinate their work. It is expected that this will economize time and money .and increase th§ conveniences that can be extended to foreign exhibitors and buyers. Just how far-reaching this movement will be it Is difficult to forecast. At any rate, it will give permanence to these international market places, and like the former fairs at Leipzig and Nltal Novgorod will permit the display of- the finished products oFthe respective territories. “One of the greatest advantages, however, will probably be the offering of unusual facilities for the bartering of merchandise. ' Whether It may be admitted or not, the basic require-

ments of civilization in many countries are practically unobtainable owing to the disparity of exchange. As this situation may continue for an indefinite period, the world will probably be forced to revert to bartering, the method of primitive peoples. In that event these fairs will offer one of the most convenient places for such an exchange of merchandise. r Concentrate Their Efforts. “The first thing proposed is to get in touch with foreign expositions so as to inaugurate a reciprocal system of publicity and recruiting. Next they will attempt to remedy, by mutual agreement, certain defects- which have been detected in the managements of the various fairs. It was also decided that each exhibitor must have his booth ready for the opening of the fair, and not several days later, as has frequently been the case. The booth, or exhibit, must be In charge of a responsible representative of the house owning the display; some one capable of furnishing all required Information. “The Bordeaux fair grounds are right in the city. The stands open on one side on a covered gallery, with offices and private entrances from the street side, which can be much improved. The exhibits are now housed in a multitude of wooden buildings forming streets along the side of the river, and in the neighboring squares of the. city, often to the bewilderment and confusion of the visitor. “The World’s Fair, or Universal Exposition, which from the middle of the last century to 1900 was held In Paris every eleven years, will probably be Abandoned until the new economic situation shall have become entirely settled. The changes that have been wrought by the war make it impracticable to hold such an exposition at this time, as it would be too great a strain industrially, financially and administratively on France and its industries.’*