New-York tribune., 1906-12-02
North and South American
Universities May Excha nge
Professors.

Boston Dec 1-Reciprocity In intellect is
new idea IN plans for making the peoples OF
North and South America better acquainted
and as result assisting commercial relation
ships through intellectual cooperation among
the countries of the Western Hemisphere. Inc
proposition has been presented TO the presidents
of several colleges in the United States ana
meets with their approval
President Eliot of Harvard University. In an
interview has expressed himself as strongly
favoring some form Of intellectual reciprocity
between the United States and the South Ameri-
can republics. He says that he has no doubt
Harvard would be glad to promote such ex-
change of professorshps as now exists between
the Oldest of American universities and the In
stitutions of higher learning In the kaisers
dominion The plan is practical and good"
says President Eliot. but 1t requires for full
filment the assistance of intelligent phian-
thropy. To find benefactors is the problem
DR. Nicholas Murray Butler, of Columbia. is
another university president who has expressed
himself as favorable to the ideas involved in the
project. "Up TO now" he says. lit is true that
the United States and some of the South Amer
lean countries have been competitors in the
European markets But within recent years
this country has become an industrial nation.
While on the other hand, population III
creases so rapidly that the raw materials of the
country already beginning TO be scarce. IN
the not distant future shall be eating bread
prepared from Argentine wheat and shall
receive meats from the River Plate. just our
wool market has been supplied in considerable
part from South America.
"The time has come for more complete un-
derstandng. The Latin American people have
hitherto seen worst side. They know mostly
the promoter. The godsecker. the adventurer.
They know little of institutions. Htera-
ture, our social and domestic life
The university is bv nature an agent especial
ly capable of bringing about this better under
standing II is already doing some work of this
character The Argentine Republic. for exam
pie. has made beginning through the creation
Of few scholarships for the study OF agricult-
ure and of engineering in this country, though
personally question the wisdom of officially
selecting The candidates. ! am of the opinion
that such scholarships should be founded by in
sttutions by Individuals who might We'll fol-
low the example OF Cecil Rhodes. our Pan
American plan, at all events, should include
normal schools, together with study OF Amerl-
can philanthropy and social activities"
DR.. Butler holds that office should he estab-
lished to serve as Il bureau Of information for
young students who come this country with
out definite IDEAS regarding their future studies
Our universities he adds. need also to be
pat IN touch with Latin American preparatory
colleges. The proposed bureau might organize
ana conduct system Of popular lectures Dy
graduates of both North and South American
institutions. All this l hope. VIII be done in
time, and l can only say that Columbia already
feels the call To a new duty.
one of the prime movers in this agitation for
an era OF good understa ndng between the coun-
tries Of the two continents is DIR. Josiah Strong
president OF the American Institute of Social
service with headquarters in New York. DR.
strong thinks that Latin America can he made
the field OF great social crusade. South Amer
icail people have idea. rule os the value
OF our institutions for lettering the condition
81 tfc poor Tor preventing tte spread OF DIS
case. Tor Increasing good viii among 80 lo,rcs
"nd 'dploTec for organized phlont'rop,, N
Snort The American Institute stands ready.