Habit is strong with Englishmen, and the shrewd insular manufacturer has
been quick to see the opportunities for advancement that lie in this
closed-door campaign.
"Get the consumer out of the habit of using a certain American product
during the war," he argues, "and when the war is over--even before--he
will be a good 'prospect' for the English substitute."
Here is a concrete story that will illustrate how the exclusion works
and what lies behind:
Last summer a certain well-known American machine, whose gross annual
business in Great Britain alone amounts to more than half a million
dollars a year, was suddenly denied entrance into the kingdom. When the
managing director protested that it was a necessity in hundreds of
British ships he was told that it made no difference.
"But what are the reasons for exclusion?" he asked.
"We don't want English money to go out of England," was the reply.
"Then we shall not only bank all our receipts here but will bring over
one hundred thousand pounds more," came from the director.
It had no effect.
"Is it tonnage?" was the next query.
"Yes," said the official.
"Then we shall ship machines in our president's yacht," was the ready
response.
This staggered the official. After a long discussion the director
received permission to bring in what machines were on the way; and,
also, he got a date for a second hearing.
Meantime he adapted a type of machine to the needs of a certain
department in the Board of Trade, sold two, and got them installed and
working before he next appeared before the Trade Censors, who, by the
way, knew absolutely nothing at all about the article they were
prohibiting.
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