The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1922-01-01
Latin Americans Look
Askance At COnferees
Who Ign Ored Them

htoW VI ouE WIN Wv
Latin American countries?
Our Southern Boundaries.
From the very foundation Of this
republic there has been power
full political and economic urge
for the southwark expansion of our
boundaries. That this would be
the case was foreseen by European
statesmen Of the lie eighteenth
century. Thus, In a memorandum
to Charles III of Spain. deprecating
the considerable Spanish support
accorded the American colonies In
their struggle with England. the
Condo de Amanda, then ambassador
to France and later premier. in
1888. declared:
Once this Anglo-American power
In established, we cannot but be-
lieve that its first vision will be
that Of possession Of the Floridas.
Once this Is accomplished
It will be In a position not only to
interrupt at will our commerce
with Mexico, but II will aspire to
the conquest Of that vast empire.
These are not vain fears,
but what inevitably must occur.
How Is 1t possible to be-
lieve that the American colonies
will refrain when they shall be in
position to conquer Mexico?'
A glance at any territorial map
OF the United States will show that
the Condos fears were not I'M
founded. Since the penning of his
warning we have annexed, or other
wise brought within our political
domination. Southern territories al
most one-half our present CONT
mental area. Louisiana in 1908;
Florida in 1919; Texas, 1S03-45;
California, 1886; New Mexico
Arizona. 1883; Santo Domingo.
1869-1905; Cuba Porto Rico, 1898;
Panama. 1904: Nicaragua, 1914;
Haiti, 1916. the Virgin Islands in
1917. in turn have succumbed be-
fore our advance. Are we to con.
tinue?
II War Should Come.
War with any great naval power
or with Mexico probably would COM
pei us to adopt measures quite as
restrictive Of the activities of all
these territories as were those of the
allies in dealing with neutral Medit.
erranean nations during the late
war. Consequent disruption Of the
political and economic life of these
weak countries might easily create
a situation which would make our
later withdrawal difficult, IL not i'm
possible. Nothing in the history Of
earlier expansions indicates that this
would arouse insurmountable I'M
friendliness in South American or
other nations. Indeed, there are in
dications that an administration
which would encourage the free de-
velopment of trade in these terri
tories and better the physical condi-
ton Of their peoples might be ac-
cepted philosophically by their neigh
bors.
As for the European colonies I'm
this region, II already has been sug-
gested in Congress that these might
be accepted In discharge of some por-
ton of the $4,000, 900, 900 of Euro
pean Indebtedness to this country.
OF the political factors urging US
forward. the strategic alone might
be a determining one, as 1t was in
deciding the Louisiana purchase.
Conversion of the Gulf of Mexico and
the Caribbean sea into a great Ameri-
, can lake, with control of the Pacific
coast to the Panama canal, would
make us impregnable to attack by
any power or combination OF powers
not having the support of Canada.
Economic Factors.
Going on to consider the economic
factors, we find these to b. more
complex. more persistent ar I'D more
pressing. Primarily they are two.
financial and Industrial. The ac-
QUESTION Of these territories would
strengthen greatly our financial posi-.
ton, especially at this time when
all are feeling the effects Of seem.
ingly necessary deflatioE.
We have heard much lately of
initiation and deflation, the former
deprecated, the latter feared by all
banking and financial authorities.
Initiation Is but the over capitaliza-
ton Of the productive resources Of
/ the country. Conservative estimates
Of our national wealth now run to
three hundred billions of dollars.
Yet, in 1918, according to late Uni
ted States Treasury reports, our
net taxable income derived from
rents, royalties, interest on foreign
and domestic bonds. dividends on
stock, and profits from all business
pursuits, including agriculture, was
under eight billion dollars. Income
from tax-free securities not ac-
counted for to the Treasury probably
would bring the total above ten bill
lions. Even on a pre-wdr basis OF
four per cent rs fair standard of
return, this income would warrant
q capitalization OF hut two hundred
and fifty billions. Such figures. OF
course, are inconciusive, but they
serve to show something of the
necessities our further southwark ex-
pansion could relieve
Potential Riches.
From Won Humboldt to John
Hays Hammond. those who have in
vestigated Mexican, Central Ameri.
can and West Indian resources have
extolled these countries as consti-
tuting potentially the richest terri
tory Of similar area in the world.
Allowing for possible exaggerations,
one must concede that, acre for
acre. this territory Is as rich In
natural resources as the United
states. At the same stage Of de-
yelopment its capitalization should
be one-third our own, as Is its area.
Actually, the highest estimates run
RI tho neighborhood OF eight