Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1920-03-06

l<8tlu. AuGtiC 0A luuCPCAuSASS. AS
trip had to be postponed because
Of unsettled political conditions in
Spain. But q, Madrid newspaper,
which is recognized-as a sort OF
semi-ofiicial organ Of the govern
ment, recently published an edi-
torial in which it said that this trip
by SPANS king to SPANS former
colonies will be made in due course.
1t added that there are more than
. hundred million Spanish speak
ing people in the world. and that
these should be welded. into a cul-
tural whole. capable Of influencing
world policies.
This is almost exactly the idea
that Germany had before the war.
She planned to keep Germans
everywhere in tolch with the faith
erland, and weld them into a cul-
tural whole for the purpose OF for
warding German ideals and aspira-
tions. She proposed to evade the
purpose of the Monroe doctrine by
her system Of peaceful penetration
in South America.
It seems pretty clear that Spain
is following almost exactly the
same program and using much the
same means. 1t does not follow
that this is cause for alarm in the
United States, or that 1t will ever
be a cause for active antagonism
between this country and Spain.
Spain, no doubt, has right to in
culcate Spanish cultural ideals in
Spanish speaking countries. When
it comes to using this cultural
homogeneity to influence world pol
icies, delicate questions may pos
sibly arise, to be suM, but that IS
a matter which may well be left to
a rather distant future.
But it cannot be too strongly
emphasized that this Spanish aspir-
alton is a strong political influence
in Cuba and in Latin-America gen.
orally, and it is one which seems
to be largely overlooked in this
country. If any one doubts the
reality of it, he can soon convince
himself here in Havana. Let him
read the leading pro-Spanish news
paper. This newspaper is publish
ed by a Spanish citizen. who was
recently made hereditary Spanish
count by the king of Spain in rec
ognition Of his services to the cause
of Spain in America. Let the in
quirer also visit the Spanish clubs,
both those for workingmen and
those for aristocrats. Especially
let him visit the Centre Gallego,
with its $4,000 members of many
different classes from laboring men
to professionals. This club, which
occupies one OF the finest buildings
in the city, was founded sby and
primarily for, Spaniards from the
province of Gallego. II is frankly
and even aggressively a Spanish
club. A Cuban. one gathers. may
obtain membership ii the club. but
only by becoming, u sympathies
and aspirations, a Spaniard. The
Cub is thus a recruiting center for
the Spanish movement And it is
only one of several Spanish clubs
of a similar nature in the city.
One of the most striking decora-
tions of this club is a full length
portrait of the king of Spain, HON.
age is here frankly paid to. Spain
and to the Spanish monarch.
The church is said to be largely
pro-Spanish in the island. 1t is
also said to control more than hall
! Of the schools. These church
schools are therefore added to the
pro-Spanish press and the Spanish
| clubs as instruments of pro-Span-
ish propaganda. The gist of this
propaganda is that Spanish speak.
ing people the world over should
be united in sentiment and aspira-
ton. But it also contains in Cuba
an admixture lof anti-Americanism
The Spaniard is in effect always
telling the. Cuban that the United
States runs his country. that he is
not a free man. Every occasion
for American interference is spe
cial occasion for this line of argu
ment.
Nevertheless. the bulk of the Gu
bans are said to remain pro-Amer
| lean and anti-Spanish. In the frs
place, they are dominated by thu
aristocratic Cuban families wht
still hate the Spain which the,
fought for 10 years of bloody wal
that ended less than a quarter o
a century ago. The wounds of tina
war are not yet healed, and the,
work strongly against Spain. II
the second place, the intelligen
Cuban sees that the Plat amend
Iment is not a disadvantage to him
II he is a man of property. he see
that the Plat amendment is tn,
best insurance he has, because i
means that in case of disorder tn,
United States will intervene an,
protect him. The Cuban politician
is seldom really opposed to tn
Plat amendment, even when h
pretends to be, because he know
that il he intrigues himself into
perfectly hopeless situation, he cal
precipitate Intervention, and s.
save his face.
Thus the two forces perhap
most fundamental in the politica
life Of the island. and certainl
most important to the Unite
States. are the forces of pro-Span
ish and pro-American sentimen,
respectively. 1t would seem tina
American policy ought to take NOR
account Of this conflict Of sent
ment, and perhaps should make
more active effort to bring to tn
Cuban's attention the good point
of our own culture. We send tn
Cubans fiivvers and straw hats, an
armies Of Intervention. But Spai
sends them books and pictures an
messages Of sympathy and goo
will.