The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-03-26
SOME LAT|NSDON'T LIKE FORE|GNERS Make No Secret of Their
 Feelings PREJUDICE DISTILLED Trip of American Secretary to Sal vaior Is Considered a Splendid
 Success, Diplomatic
 Triumph

Acaiutla, Salvador, March 13-CBy the Associated Press Correspondent with Sec retary Knox)-The visit of Secretary Knox to Salvador developed several sur prises. Not the least of these was the frank avowal to those accompanying the Secretary of strong antl-foreign sen timent.
 In Panama, Costa Rica and Honduras 1t was admitted that among the poorly informed there was q certain suspicion of ''outsiders,' but 1t remained for the Salvadoreans to proclaim this prejudice as a matter of fact.
 Make No Secret of Prejudice
 Many of those in official life made no secret of the natter, though they soft ened the effect by explaining that the antagonism was against foreigners gen erally and not toward Americans in par ticular
 tIn fact" said one of the party which escorted the secretary from Acajutla to San Salvador the capital, there are practically no real Americans here. The majority Of foreigners who come 10 Sal vador are Europeans or persons who have lived in inc United States only long enough 10 obtain citizenship. They come in many cases to exploit the country and under earlier administrations have made themselves rich by obtaining gov ernment contracts. thereby enjoying vast profits. Unfortunately, these men boast first of all of their nationality, and they bask in the shadow of what we have learned to call the big stick
 This extreme view of foreigners is not shared by the present government so far at least as Americans are concerned. as was made clear as the visit pro- gressed. MT Knox made an excellent impression from the very beginning and when he left President Araujo accom- panied him to the railway station and volunteered the statement to the core spondents that the visit of MT. Knox has been considered here as courtesy and proof of the affection of the North American people for us.''
 Sentiment Changes
 The change of sentiment was mo- ticeable in the cafes and on the streets from the moment that the Secretary made his first informal acknowledge ment of rather formal welcome. Al tine dinner on the second night of the visit Mir. Knox made plea for closer commercial relations. about to be made possible by the opening of the Panama canal. Then he turneo to the subject of misrepresentations of the attitude and aims of the United 5tates which l.e intimated had been made, saying that only a knowledge Of the. truth was necessary to dispel all niisunderstand- ing.
 By far the more active sphere Of American diplomacy today said the Secretary, "is that of our relations with the 20 other republics of the western hemisphere. Now that so many of the republics to the south of us have achieved governments as stable, as en- frightened and as responsible as our. own. il becomes more and more ipcuin- bent upon the citizens of the United States TO know and appreciate them.
 No Reason for Misunderstanding
 Tt Is the supreme purpose of my visit to show that upon our part there k no Justification or substantial reas- on for prejudice or misunderstanding between the people of the United States and the people of Central America What we both sorely need is that the truth about Central Ar--rica and Gen. tral Americans and of tlieir high civ ilization and lofty purpoge and gracc-
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