Evening star., 1926-08-01
BY DIR. GLEN LEVIN SWIGGETT.
Chairman, National Council on Foreign
Services Training.

Chairman, National Council on Foreign
Services Training.
The industrial-welfare- of the United
States. for the present at least, is
dependent upon the easy and natural
exchange and flow of capital into
Latin America. But unfortunately
through the developing technique OF
American business we have been con-
firned in the habit of thinking of this
vast region to the south of US as an
entity. The more practical imagl'
nation Of the business man is accus-
toned to annihilate space for eco
non1ic ends, and to him all countries
present a common front and common
problems in his plans for trade ex'
pansion For business purposes the
Argentine and Chile are no farther
away than Cuba and Mexico. Accord
ingly we have In our economic ap-
proach created political situations
that have embarrassed our foreign
policy on more than one occasion.
We should do better to remember
that politically this continent and sub
continent, loosely labeled Latin Amer
lea, comprises 20 republics, IL OF
which are governed by men In whose
emigres and whose peoples speak the
language Of Spain.
The recent aspiration OF important
individuals and groups in many of
these countries for some kind OF an
Hispanic-American league, the pur-
pose of which we misunderstood and
quite frankly condemn, should recall
vividly to our mind how deep and last
ing in Latin American culture is this
Spanish note or strain. For this as
piration is by no means wholly an
expression of ill-wiH for the colossus
of the North a cropping after some
type of institution to serve as g. foil
or counter-balance to a real or inn
aeined political dominance by the
United States in the Pan-American
Union, but is rather In large part a
manifestation of that larger racial
patriotism Of which history affords so
many examples in the development Of
nations.
II is therefore high time that we
as North Americans, in both our
public and private relations with
these people. recognize and consider
their cultural origins. It will save us
from many a blunder and will often
enable us to explain the apparent
contradition In conduct of Latin
Americans of our acquaintance and
knowledge. Vasconcelos, for ex-
ample. minister of education under
Obregon,. unconsciously perhaps, but
tenaciously cherishing the Spanish
sources of Latin American culture,
has in his writings frequently criti-
cized in no friendly spirit the foreign
policy or attitude Of the United
States in Latin America. And yet
this cultured and socially minded
Latin American plainly shows in his
recent lectures at the University Of
Chicago that his criticism of us does
not proceed from irrational prejudice
or unreasoning hate. The world-old
example repeats itself. For it must
surely be that his fear, as we'll as that
of the large group of Latin Americans
who think with him, of bringing
otherwise welcome gifts of sanitation.
public works, economic progress, So
cial and political well-being from the
North, is the fear that the encroach-
ing material culture win eventually
wipe away the traditional culture so
dear to them. And It may, unless our
people az nation acquire q higher
sense OF spiritual values.
The safety Of our international pc.
litical position may be assured by the