Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-03-20
SAYS CANAL SHOULD BE
AID TO LATIN AMERICA
United States Must Make It
SO, John Barrett Tells
War College Members

The United States must make the Fan
anna canal beneficial to the people OF
South and Central America as well as to
its own citizens in order that its full pos
sibilities be realized. according to John
Barrett, director general of the Pan
American Union, who lectured today be-
fore the Army War College. Mr.. Bar
rett's address. which was one Of the
numbers in the War Colleges regular lee
ture course. dealt with the influence of the
Panama canal on the future develop
ment of the whole western hemisphere.
"All Of Latin America" said Mr.. Bar
rett, 'is entering upon a period Of extraor-
dinary progress: and this fact is the
most remarkable governmental and eco
nomic fact demanding the attention Of the
government and the people of the United
States in this countrys foreign reia-
tions
Says People Are Awakening.
THAT the people Of this country are
awakening to realization of this situa-
ton is proved by the enormous growth
during the last year of the correspond
ence and work of the Pan-American
Union. Its mail is filled with letters not
States, but even from Europe and Asia,
asking for every variety OF information
regarding the twenty Latin. American
countries.
"These letters come not alone from
manufacturers, merchants. exporters and
importers, but from bankers, investors.
engineers, editors, authors, college pro-
fessors students, travellers and others in
terested in the Pan-American opportunity.
The demand for reliable data regarding
every American country Is SO great that
the Pan-American Union is becoming the
central international bureau of informa-
tion for the whole western hemisphere
1.-The opportunity and responsibility
therefore, of the government and people
up it's exchange OF trade with these coun-
tries, but promoting In every way possible
mutual confidence and true comfy should
be studied and realized by every officer
Of the United States government and
every citizen of this country who wants
to see the United States conducting a
mighty foreign trade and at the same
time winning and holding the affection
and trust Of other nations and peoples.
1.-The opening Of the Panama canal
will in history mark the formal in
auguration of a splendid Pan Ameri-
can era-provided always that the
government and people of the United
States get ready in practical way for
the Panama canal, and endeavor to
make that waterway as useful and
beneficial to our sister republics as to
the United States.
Reciprocal Use Necessary.
THE mental attitude of our people
will be wrong, and they will fail to
graphs the true principle which will
make the canal popular and the Unit
ed States blessed by other countries
for it's construction If our government
and our people fail to appreciate the
idea of reciprocal use and advantage
of this mighty waterway. The Panama
canal must build up the markets of
Latin America In the United States as
we'll as the markets of the United
States in those countries. We must
encourage Latin American ships and
business men, Latin American states
men, educators, travellers and others
to come through the canal to the Unit
ed States, just as we encourage similar
movement from the United States to
that part Of the world.
.If the meaning Of the Panama canal
is understood by the peoples of all the
american nations to include their well
fare, their progress and their pros
perity, as we'll as those Of the United
States, 1t Will become the most power
full and permanent influence In our
foreign relations for our own good
and standing in the family Of nations"