Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1921-01-14
COFFEE AND SKILL
MAKE
Bananas Also Add to Ro-
nance of Central America,
Says Geographic Bulletin.

when the American small boy eats
his daily quota of bananas. and when
his father and mother sip their break
last. luncheon or dinner coffee. they
are making important contributions
to the prosperity Of fellow Ameri-
cans Of whom they know very little.
American republics which have lately
been discussing the formation of a
sort of United States of Central
America" says bulletin issued by the
National Geographic Society.
central America illustrates strik-
tors on a regions development" CON
tinues the bulletin. "All the five re-
puhlics lie on the relatively narrow
isthmus between the narrow ribbon
or Panama on the south and Mexico
on the north. The Spanish settle
OF America We're all on the Pacific
side Of the isthmus. for the most
part on the plateaus and mounta in
slopes and in the mountain valleys
of that region. which temper an
otherwise tropical climate.
Practically the entire Atlantic side
of the isthmus was low plain, COW
cred with dense tropical jungle.
This acted az q great Chinese WALL
erected by nature, which discourage
Or actually cut OF Intercourse with
the Atlantic coast and turned the
faces of all the countries toward
the Pacific.
Isolated by Nature and Man.
The isolation started by nature was
continued b. the colonial policy Of the
Spaniards. who for 500 years permitted
the Central American settlers to trade
only with the mother country and greatly
restricted even that commerce. The vari-
Gus groups of settlements which finally
became the five republics of today
Guatemala, Salvador. Honduras. Mica
qua and Costa Rica-were also eff
the mountainous nature of the country
and the lack of means Of communica-
tion.
AT the time of the throwing off Of
the Spanish yoke in 1921. therefore
Central America was made up of a
group of communities Of rather prini-
tive development scattered along the
Pacific ocean. The settlements were as
effectually cut OF from the United
States. as II they had been many thou
sands Of miles away. instead Of being
only across the Caribbean sea.
Coffee Brings Prosperity.
The story of Central America s
growth in prosperity and Importance III
the nineteenth and twentieth centuries
Is chronicle Of engineering achieve
ment in the outside world and q romance
of horticulture in the isthmus itself.
With the settlement OF the Pacific coast
of the United States. the building Of the
Panama railroad and later the con-
struction Of trans-Mexican railway,
the Panama Canal and railways across
Guatemala and Costa RIGA. Central
America has become easily accessible.
shortly before the construction Of
the Panama railroad coffee was intro
duced into Central America from the
West indies and was found to grow to
perfection in tho lava soil on the slopes
Of the volcanic mountains along the
Cofree soon became an export of prime
importance and has brought much
money into Central America. The ac-
QUESTION Of q higher standard Of living
in the four republics in which conditions
are favorable for coffee culture is di-
1.-THE remainder Of Central Americas
horticultural romance has as its motif
the banana. In order that the great
American hunger for that slender golden
frri. might b. apRsassd large fis
from the United States acquired extern
sive tracts Of land in the Atlantic plain,
reclaimed il from the jungle. and paont-
ed great banana groves which produce
millions OF punches OF bananas yearly.
have been as valuable to Central Amer
lea as the money that has flowed d.
rectly to laborers and to the govern
ment- Important cities have sprung up
along the Atlantic coast. railroads have
been built. and. what Is probably most
important Of all, lines of fast. well
equipped steamers. carrying both pas
sengers and freight. have been estab-
lshed between the Atlantic ports and
those Of the United States. In effect.
the banana has shifted Central America
thousands OF miles closer to the outside
world