Evening star., 1921-03-06
BY BEN NckELwAY.


the south the benefits of
American legislation and
European experience. is the program of
the Southern Commercial Congress to-
| ward South America. as outlined by its
director. Dr. Clarence J. Owens.
While the Southern Commercial Con-
greSs is in full sympathy with nterna
tional amity, comfy and fraternity, as
illustrated in the relations which exist
now between the Latin American repub
lies and the United States. there is a
| woeful lack Of the practical in our deal
ings with South America, according to
DR.. Owens. and this lack the Southern
Commercial Congress plans to remedy
partially by helpful suggestion and CO.
operation
Establishing the farmer Of Southern
and Central America as land owner
and productive citizen is one of the
, most essential steps to he taken by the
governments of the various republics
according to DR.. owens. Practical aid
% those governments along this line is
now planned by the Southern CONNER
ciaI Congress.
In 1912 this organization directed an
extensive survey in several European
countries to discover how the govern
! ments abroad helped the farmer One
Of the results of this investigation was
the passage in 1916 of the federal farm
| loan act, which was held to be consti-
tutional by the United States Supreme
Court last week. This law, making
every acre of land the basis for credit
on longtime loans with low interest
rates. helped to finance American agri-
culture through the war.
Mr.. Owens last year was appointed
a special adviser to the government of
Panama to aid in making an economic
survey in that republic upon the re-
suits of which new legislation was
drawn up One of the laws is based
J upon the existing federal farm loan law
of this country. with certain changes
to meet conditions which exist in Pana-
ma.
Similar surveys of the economic con-
dtions of other Latin-American repub-
lies now are planned by the Southern
Commercial Congress, DIR. Owens states.
and invitations already have been re-
ceived by two of them to make such
investigations The invitations have
been accepted.
according to DR.. Owens believes that
this country is as unprepared for its
pa rticipaton in the foreign field OF trade
as it was for taking part in the Euro
pean war, and under its supervision a
number of trade schoolS-Plattsburgh
| for business men. as they are termed
are being established in various Ameri-
can cities. The first one was conducted
| in Washington last summer and the
course will be repeated this year Two
schools-one in Chattanooga. Tenn. and
| the other in Atlanta. Ga.-are now es-
! tablshed. and plans for more are under
considera ton.
+; The Southern Commercial Congress is
making an effort now to nave consui
! from each Latin American country
placed in every seacoast city of the
| United States This step already has
proved its value, DR.. Owens states. in
| the trade which is brought to those
cities which maintain consulates.
| The State Department is sending in
! structions to the embassies and lega-
| tions in Guatemala Salvador Nlcara-
Colombia Ecuador Peru. Bolivia and
! Chile to formally invite the governments
of those countries to send their dele
gates to the Pan-American congress on
! education, which conveneS in Honolulu
August II under the auspices of the
/ an-Pacific Union.
The program of the congress will in
clude the discussion of the possibilities
and needs of education in each country.
viewed from the standpoint of then
civilization. their form of government.
productive activity and natural re-
sources.
The United States commissioner Of
education will preside at the congress.
X x x 4
Hawaiian music. which has proved so
popular in this country, now encounters
a rival in Ecuadorean native music JUS
making its Introductory strains in this
! country The audiences which attended
; a local theater here last week heard
what is perhaps the first public rendi-
| ton of this music by theater orchestra
+, in the limited States The music was
brought to the United States by Hugo
+! Gigante of New York, a former instruc-