Evening star., 1926-04-08

can ports, by establishing brAnchea
Of our banks, and by the investment
Of great amounts Of capital. 1t IL
estimated that in 1928 United States
capital invested in Latin America
amounted to $S.7eo, ,ooo. 900: in 1924. q
was $4,210, 900 900. In 1925 banks in
the United States had some "A
branches In various Latin American
cities. Figures compiled by our De
partment of Commerce show that in
1910 our exports to Latin America,
including tho Guianas and all the
West Indies except Porto Rico
amounted to $27s .663. 900. and our i'm.
ports from there amounted to $408..
837 900. Last year the exports were
$Ss2,S15, 900 and the imports $1,041,
10000. Our exports to the four Re
publis Of Argentina, Brazil, Chile and
Mexico increased from $141,615. 900 in
1910 to $42o.211.o00 in 1925. Our I'm
ports ,sn from these count eo1ntrs,
24o 900 to 36ss, I'll 900. 1t may be in.
teresting to compare these 1926
figures with those for our total for.
eign trade in that year, which were:
Exports. $4,s0s .3s6. 900; imports. $4..
227.9S5.000. Thus we see nearly one.
fifth of all our exports went to Latin
America and practically .one.fourth of
our imports came from there. While
they have our mining and printing
machinery, locomotives, sewing ma
chimes, cash. registers. Photographs.
radio. typewriters, and other imple.
ments. we need and have their very
valuable raw products.
Cities Are Magnificent.
Their cities are developing as rap
idly aS our own and some seem to
have surpassed ours in the magnifi.
cence of their buildings and in the
extent Of their city.planning activities
II all our citizens here do not yet
realize fully that Latin America is
as progressive as the United States:
and II some Latin Americans, as I
have been told Is the case, are prone
to feel that this country Is interested
in material things alone, I am sure
II may be explained by the lack Of
that knowledge which comes from
personal contact through travel and
by the mutual inadequacy Of news
reports Of the significant facts and
developments in the respective coun.
tries. With the increase of trans.
portation facilities between our re-
publics travel will increase. And
there can be no doubt you publishers
oAAN SAAtSA oiO NOhokdhtly blflNluk "
enlarge and improve your dissemina.
ton Of vital news concerning the
different people OF the Western Hem
isphere.
No newspapers in the world have
a higher rank than some OF those in
Latin America understand the
amount OF cable matter contained in
our own press for good many years
did not begin to compare with what
was to be found in the leading dailies
Of the southern republics. Several Of
these newspapers have buildings
equal. II not superior. to those in our
country. One newspaper in particu-
lar is notable for public service out
side the mere publication of news.
1t maintains free legal and medical
bureaus, showrooms for the display
Of things intimately connected with
agricultural. stock raising and the
chemical industries: also 1t furnishes
auditoriums for lectures, plays. con-
certs and other gatherings. 1t ap-
proaches a university.
The high esteem in which these
papers are deservedly held through
out the world has been built up by
the character OF the men who have
guided them. 1t is particularly
gratifying to have present at this
gathering men whose character and
reputation are recognized interna-
tionally. including one who bears a
name which for three generations has
stood for the best in journalism.
The First Congress Of Journalists
was fine idea. l hope it will achieve
all that its promoters could wish. It
seems to me 1t would be well II your
gathering could be repeated periodi-
cally. possibly alternating between
Latin America and the United States.
Such meetings cannot fail to have far
reaching consequences. not only in
the preservation of the most cordial
good feeling existing among our re-
spective nations, but also in the draw
ing together of our peoples into closer
bonds Of sympathetic understanding.
It should result in q better compre-
hension that, after all. we Of the
Western Hemisphere are one people
striving for a common purpose. ami
mated by common ideals and bound
together in q common destiny. Unto
us has been bequeathed the precious
heritage and the high obligation of
developing and consecrating a new
world to the great cause Of humanity.