ABSTRACT
WHEN an export manager comes to China tobestow the representation of his products on some deserving agent or distributor, he is usually rather shocked at the lack of enthusiasm with which his advances are met. Of course, if his product has been on the market for a long time and has a wellestablished sale, he will have plenty ofagents to choose from, but ifhis company is unknown it is usually quite disillusioning to him to learn how completely and thoroughly it is unknown and what an entire lack of curiosity there is about it. Shanghai, where most of the foreign trade of China is centred, and most of the agents are located, is a big and busy city and singularly blase, with the combined sophistication of each of
the seven seas. Douglas Fairbanks, Charlie Chaplin and Col. Lindbergh, to say nothing of innumerable British lords, American senators and continental princes have all been visitors and have all wandered through our shopping districts with no congestion of traffic. When American government officials of high degree visit us, the local American Chamber of Commerce has to fan local patriotism to a white heat in order to get any noticeable attention paid to them. If this were not done, and the visitors were left to bask in the unaided reflection of their own glory) I am afraid that most of the dignitaries would leave Shanghai feeling that the American colony had a singular lack of appreciation for the presence of greatness. Our British neighbours have to do the same thing, but the British notables seem satisfied to get along with less limelight. This is just as well, for their countrymen are not so skilful as we are when it comes to working up impressive Illass effects in artificial enthusiasm and highly organised and noisy hospitality.
