Evening star., 1921-04-24
BY BEN McKELwAY.

the United States public health
service, Brig. Gen. Charles E.
Sawyer. President Harding's per-
sonal physician, who has been
detailed to make a general survey
! directed toward the coordination Of
various governmental agencies deal
ing with the public welfare. sees a
splendid instrument to bring about
practical pan-Americanism. sympathetic
and mutually helpful relations be-
tween the republics of the south and
this country necessary for our COM
| mercial development in South Amer
lea.
I hope to see a public health serv-
ice" DR.. Sawyer told the writer. that
will send a man into every country
| of South America, where they will
serve the dual purpose of making
| those countries safe places for Amer
leans to live in. and at the same
time help the South American to put
in sanitation and care of the public
health.
I'm South America. Central Amer
lea and Mexico there lies an i'm
| mense field for our commercial de-
velopment. But before we can trade
with the South American, we must
win his confidence. establish re-
Ilationship that will assure him we
want his good will as well as his
| trade. The United States has made
more progress ip sanitation than any
country in the world, and the Ameri-
| can doctor has a great opportunity
| to educate his South American neigh
| Dor in what he has learned along
| these lines"
Gen. Sawyer points to Panama as an
las nj -
cal man can do toward the develop
| ment Of any country. He recalls a
| visit made there in 1913. when he be-
| came impressed with the unspeakable
conditions existing from an Ignorance
Of sanitation. The Panama canal
dedicated to Gen. Gorgas and the
| medical men who worked with him.
What has been accomplished in
| Panama, Gen. Sawyer believes. can be
| accomplished in other countries of
South America. where, in many cases,
| identical conditions exist. Our help,
| given freely and in a spirit Of friend
illness and cooperation, will win the
| gratitude of every South American.
Such practical aid as our public
| health service is able to extend to the
Latin American countries. Gen. Sawyer
points out, is important from a COM
mercial standpoint. South Americans
! are immune to many diseases to
which Americans fall victim. Ameri-
| cans must be safeguarded when they
go abroad in the interest Of their
! country.
! To trade with the South American
one must speak his language. and
Gen. Sawyer is strong advocate of
our schools and colleges. He advises
| every young American to study Span
ish as one OF the necessary languages
of the future.
Cen Sawyer is an enthusiastic be-
lever in the proposed memorial to
Gen. Gorgas which would be estab-
lished in Panama in the form Of an in
stitution for the study Of tropical
diseases. The plan is receiving the
wholesale approval of medical men
well as those of South America
Such monument" Gen. Sawyer
declares. will outlast any memorial
of marble. and is the greatest thing
that could be done to perpetuate the
memory of a man who did so much
lin the interest of South America"
| - 4 X
Much interest centers on appoint
ment Of diplomatic representatives in
South America, for through these men
the Administrations announced policy
of friendliness and cooperation with
the Latin American countries will be
carried out. There is plenty of specu-
lation concerning those who will be
named, but there has been little Of
dciai discussion on the subject.
George T. Summerlin, who arrived
in this city last week from Mexico
ICity, where he has been in charge of
the American embassy since the
| resignation as ambassador of Under
secretary of State Fletcher is under
stood to be considered as United
States minister to Uruguay. Mr.. Sum-
merlin has been in the diplomatic
service for the last eleven years. hav-
ing served at Toxic. Peking and
Chile. He was at the last named post
when Mr.. Fletcher was minister to
Chile and later when the legation was
raised to an embassy. Mr.. Summerlin
thoroughly understands the Latin
American situation generally and his
service in Mexico is considered to
have been of the highest character.
| Ambassador Shea. a Wilson ap-
pointee, is leaving Chile for the
United States in about ten days. and
among those mentioned to succeed