Evening star., 1926-05-16
BY WILLIAM ULLMAN.

~ row-meShed economic union by
a series of fundamental consid-
erations, the three Americas-North
South and Centra1-have been even
! more tightly allied in uhought. which
gradually will evolve into firm action
as a result of tour just completed
| by a group of Latin American
| journalists.
These prominent southern news
| paper men, who met in convention
| in Washington last month prior to
| their journey, were taken upon a
| comprehensive and unusually detailed
tour, encompa ssing a variety Of insti-
tutions Of a business and an educa-
tional nature.
1t is impossible to estimate the
significance of this trip. 1t is of prime
Importance In two respects, economic
and political. Bearing in mind the
tranquility Of our relations with most
| Of the Latin American countries, the
| economic phase of the matter is
| worthy of first place in it's discussion.
1t should be understood that the
world is made up of interdependent
! parts. Each nation leans on the
other, each is an important link in
| the economic chain. The factories of
! the United States are kept busy by
two demands, domestic and foreign.
One is as vital as the other. The
| greatest prosperity comes to that
nation which has the most fully de-
| veloped foreign trade, backed by
| wholesome domestic demand.
Auto Industry Greatest.
/ The automobile industry and allied
trades make up this country'S greatest
! industrial endeavor. The automotive
| industry gives employment to thou
| sands of workers. Its ramificationS
| are so extensive as to be almost un-
| believable. Necessarily, such a vast
| enterprise touches In some way or
| other the whole of the people. 1t is
| essential. therefore, that this indus
| try be kept keyed to the high pitch
| at which 1t is now travelling. A let
down would mean unemployment,
| which would be reflected sooner or
| later in almost every pocketbook.
| The American automotive industry
is one gigantic machine, built up to
an enormous productive capacity. For
| the economic good of all concerned
| there can be no sloughing off in con
sumner demand. Let that fact remain
| to the forefront. let it be fully com
| pretended and the significance of the
| journalists trip will be understood.
! South America and Central America
need good roads and automobiles TO
| bring about full economic develop
lment. They are needed In order that
Latin America may progress to a de
gree in keeping with her natural re
sources and in line with the trend OF
plainly in evidence; the good roads
and the automobiles are lacking.
Both Parties Helped.
The journalists realized these things
before they started on their tour of
inspection of our roads and our fac
tories. But never before has the truth
of their convictions been brought
home to them i'll so graphic a fashion
And, incidentally, never before has the
American automotive industry done
itself such a good turn.
Now more than ever, these Latin
American observers are certain that
what they require. above all things. Is
the transportation system which good
roads and American automobiles car
provide. They are going back home
with that principle squarely before
them, and there is every reason to be
lieve that newspaper readers in theiI
respective communities will hear
much of It from this time forth.
With these points in mind, the real
Importance of the following state
ment, ordinarily a rather trite one
may he more fully appreciated.
1.-The trip was a success, great
success. from every point of view.
The Latin Americans received every
mark of official and private attention
in every community they visited
They were given right of way; they
had escorts of State troopers on many
of their iaunts by motor bus; their
I Off In fhrnIiQh
tories were such as might be worked
out for a visiting potentate. And ap
probation spoke In every gesture OF
the journalists. That Is important, be
cause what these gentlemen say and
write when they return to their Offices
will mean much in the development OF
our foreign trade in autonotive prod
ucts to that highly lucrative field
Careful observers are in no doubtful
frame of mind regarding the probable
tenor Of these expressions.
Especial emphasis was laid upon
the question of good roads, and the
splendid character of this Nation
highways was constant source OF
wonderment to the journalists. The
extent to which poor roads nave MN
dered export expansion is Indicated IN
remarks by Senior Julio I'rens, pub
Usher of Ell Domocrito of Mexico City,
who said:
Mexico Needs Roads.
"Our reluctance to buy automobiles
is not a question of purchasing power,
but a. question of transportation fac1li'
ties. Mexico City has only $4,000 cars
registered this year; within the next
five years this city alone, with
macadam roads to the border, VIII
absorb tens of thousands OF motor
cars.
"At present the 1.200-mile roadway
from Laredo to our capital is in such
bad shape that automobiles must be
shipped to the interior by train. The
average freight per car amounts to
approximately $500, making the cost
almost prohibitive.
"Interior provinces of Mexico have
roads within themselves, but they
lack adequate contact with outside
cities"
| Conditions such as these in a mum.
ber of southern countries naturally ~
have tended to stunt the growth OF
export trade in automotive products
However, their American tour has
proved a. revelation to the leading
Journalists of the region, and 1t is
logical to expect broad moves toward
extensive highway improvement which
will, in turn, induce greater purchas
ing at our markets.
In addition to expressing the deep
est and most vital interest In the
American automotive industry and in
the things which they are convinced
1t can accomplish in the Americas, the
journalists throughout the trip spoke
I'm no uncertain terms OF their ad-
miration for our Industrial system as
a. whole and for the people of our
country.
Learned More About Us.
Senior Angel Mendez Calzada of La
Libertad, the largest daily Of Men
doza, Argentina, and correspondent
of La Nacion Of Buenos Aires, one