Evening star., 1927-05-03
BACKGROUND OF EVENTS
BY PAUL Y. COLLINS.

have caused a recession in our ex.
ports to Latin North America and the
West Indies. The great bulk OF the
trade of this region is with the United
States, and since it was able to sell
less to us than usual its buying power
for our exports was diminished"
4 X = <
Secretary Of Commerce Herbert
Hoover received an ovation yesterday
when he advocated protective tariffs
for all Central and South American
countries. for he argued that the
United States desires to see in all
Latin America the greatest possible
degree of prosperity. Our own
prosperous Latin American trade de.
pends upon state Of prosperity OF
our customers. He encouraged ths
financial investments of Americans In
Latin America, and liberal loans TO all
those countries. provided the loans are
made for their development, and not
for war purposes.
y =
The address of welcome to the dele,
gates, made by the vice chairman OF
the governing board Of the Pan-Amer,
ican Union, Senior Don Enrique Olaya,
Minister of Colombia, included this
paragraph:
"The development OF commerce he,
tween the United States and the Latin
American nationals, always considered
by statesmen of the first rank as des,
tined to reach enormous proportions,
has perhaps surpassed everything that
could be hoped for, some decades ago.
The figures, today, are alike fiattering
and amazing. nor is the steady rise OF
the curve affected by the occasional
drops due to causes of a transitory
nature.
I'VE all know that this marvellous
growth in economic interchange is due
to two paramount causes-the great
industrial expansion of the United
States. which. because of world-shak
ing events changing the centers of In
ternational, political and financial life,
gave American manufacturers a wider
radius of consumption in Latin Amer
ican markets: and. secondly, the mar
|elous wealth Of Central and South
America, which has made them ths
source Of supply-for many years te
come irreplaceable--of raw materials
and OF foodstuffS which find their nat
uraI consumer in the populous centers
Of this country inhabited by mors
than 100000, 900 people"
x
How great is Latin America Ae,
cording to Mr.. Frederick l.. Hoffman.
third vice president and statistician
of the Prudential Insurance Co, Il
covers 8,26S,000 square miles, as con.
trasted with 100000 miles of the
United States. 1t contained a popu,
lation in 1885 Of 52,000,000, and in
1915 of $4,000 ,000--showing an an,
which would give it a present popu,
lation OF 96,T24.000 and, calculating
arithmetically, would make the popu.
lation by 1858 exceed 223,500, 600.
That is nearly double. the present
population of the United States. with,
out, even then. reaching our present
average per square mile.
The recent growth is attributed. not
TO immigration. but TO bettering thu
rate through sanitation and
medical skill. Today the annual
death rate of Buenos Aires, Argentina.
is practically the same as that oil
New York City and of the average oil
the entire registration area of the
United States-about IA per 1000 pop,
uiation. In 1897, the death rate OF
Bahia. Brazil, was 345 and in 1911
II was only 1876. Rio de Janeiro's
rate in 1S59.63 was 58.2 per thousand
population; it is now less than is.
Z x
With this rapid growth of popula,
ion, the future Importance OF friendly
trade and political relations with
Latin America must increase yy,>T
equal strength. Our exports 10 LASH
America in 1925 were three times -
great as the annual average for -
years before the war or than ~,
single year 1913. The total
with Latin America in 1926 .~-, ~
times as great as in 1869. ell
han times az great aa i1 To-
In Central America we A~A,
creased our share of the impcrs
n every country but Costa
where the United Kingdom
Germany have made small ga'.,-
1ur expense. In Mexico the Jfyi
states and Germany are holding ass.
ne same share as before the ya~
With a loss by the United Kingdom ~
Ither competitors. In Cuba. thn
United States alone has made a rafu
to 10 per cent.
In every one of the South American
'epubl1cs the United States has made
'ains Doth In volume and percentage
Il trade, whereas the percentage,
hough not always the actual volume
'r value-of the trade OF our competi,
ors has fallen. the only exception be.
ng that the United Kingdom shared
o a small extent in the percentage
sains in Colombia and Bolivia, In CO,
ombia our share has increased from
1911 to so per cent since 1894, IN
venezuela from 3S.S to 65.4, in Brasil
rom 1871 to 24.2, I'm Uruguay from
81 to 26.3, In Argentina from las 81
S, in Bolivia from IA 10 rs, In chile
rom 1871 to ass, in Peru from 2S.8 20
9.9. and In Ecuador from 81 TO 4O.S.
Comparisons of the figures for tha
atest year with those for the yeAA
preceding show about an equal diffeU