Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1916-01-12
BY THEODORE e. BURTON.

/
| The present European war, has
aroused in the United States a strong
| feeling of interest In the South Amer
ican countries. The war abroad has
shown us that we Oftthe western con-
| tinent possess common interests quite
apart from those Of Europe, and these
will tend to draw us mach closer to
| those other nations ct this hemi-
sphere whose aims and ambitions are
so closely akin to our own. Last
summer, spent several months in a
tour of South America lin in effort to
learn more of those countries, to be-
come better acquainted with their
people, and to promote as best could
better relations between us,
In spite OF these ties which should
bind the nations OF South America
to the United States, the fact re-
mains that in the past century there
have been many MISUNDERSTANDING
due to differences in race, traditions
and language, ascribabie also to that
distrust which smaller countries al
ways feel toward a larger and more
powerful nation, situated in geogra-
phical proximity The Worst obstacle,
however, has been the fact that the
people of North and South America
have not properly understood each
other.
LATIN AMERICANS A
REMARKABLE PEOPLE.
We Of the United States are essen.
TALLY ignorant of the conditions and
the people south of the Canal Zone.
We do not realize what remarkable
people they are. They on the other
hand have always cherished grave
fear of what they have sometimes
called the North American Peril. They
have not understood correctly our at
titude with reference to the Monroe
Doctrine, and have felt that under it's
provisions we were seeking to exer-
else suzerainty or overlordship over
them. Fortunately, however, they
have come gradually toa,falize that
we have ITO such an1bi{IGn! THAT sus.
picion has disappeared and the South
American nations are now willing to
cooperate with us.
There are sentimental and practi-
cal reasons why we should be bound
in closer harmony with them. We
both belong to the same America. We
are working out the same destiny,
and solving the same problems of
popular government Our country
was the first to recognize their inde-
pendence when they were struggling
for freedom from Spain. Today they
need our capital and our assistance
for their proper development. We
need their products of raw materials,
and they need our manufactured ar
ticles.
The people of the United States
do not realize, even vaguely, what a
wonderful group of nations comprise
South America, and how advanced
and prosperous are their people. Bue-
nos Aires, the metropolis of Argen-
tina, has a population of two million
people, and is as large for example,
as Chicago. 1t compares in brillance
and splendor with Vienna and Brus-
sells, and even with Paris. When /
was there, did not see single beg
gar in the streets of that city. Indeed
it has no slums The BuenOs Aires
opera house is a marvel of architec-
ture and splendOr, and it's people
heard many Of the greatest opera
singers Of Europe even before we
heard them in New York city. It's
hotels rival any to be round in the
United States, and it has one club Nof
membership of two thousand, in
which the initiation fee is $15DD in
gold. 1t has also subway system,
equal, if not superior TO that of New
York city.
LATINS- AMBITIOUS
AND PROGRESSIVE.
The people Of South America are
extremely attractive. Their hospital
ity and kindness are proverbial. They
are progressive and ambitious. Even
the richest people have large families
of children, frequently as many as
ten, and they have no sympathy with !
our ideas Of race suicide. In Argen- /
tina voting is compulsory, and any |
one who fails to cast his ballot is pun
ished by fine. South American con-
stitutions are based upon that of the
United States, and some of them may