Evening star., 1927-11-07

| is proceeding with great aggressive
ness, which makes for his success.
! But this aggressiveness is resented by
many. One of the leading bankers of
the country gave expression to this
feeling to me in the words, They are
| too rough"
The average Argentine-and the
business man does not make any ex.
ception to this rule--has inherited a
good portion of the old Spanish
dignity and formality. He puts
great effort into good manners.
Family tradition counts heavily. For
all these reasons there Is quite often
occasion for antagonism and con-
trasts between Americans and Ar.
gentines.
The Argentine finds it difficult to
assimilate Americans, too. while
other foreigners go to the Argentine
to remain and become a part of the
country.
Recently the Argentine Senate
voted the monopoliZation Of the oil
resources of the country, AMI this de-
cision must be interpreted as a de-
fensive measure against American
industrial expansion.
Importance Of Public Opinion.
1t is not to be forgotten that public
opinion never can he made by laws
and that imponderable influences are
/ contributing greatly to the sentinen-
tai relations between peoples.
The masses of the people in Latin
America like American ice cream,
American soda fountains and Ameri-
can movies, and even American archi.
lecture is impressing itself upon these
countries whose preference seemed to
be for French or Italian renaissance.
In some instances the results of a
combination Of American and Latin
American tastes have been remark
able. The Boston Bank has just fin.
ished an imposing structure in the
center of Buenos Aires. 1t compares
most favorably with the finest office
buildings Of New York and Chicago.
In Rio de Janeiro the southern end
of the famous Avenida Rio Branco is
slowly being transformed into an ave-
nue. of skyscrapers, with movie pal
aces leading in the transformation.
Wherever I went l heard Americans
spoken Of as Yankees. but not in a
derogatory sense. "Yanki' simply is
the Spanish translation of North
American" in the common language
of the day, which is nodded by the
press.
1t Is SURPRISING W DOle III IHlS COI"
nection what tremendous influence
American news agencies have attained
all over the continent. There is vir-
tually no Latin American newspaper
which does not get large percentage
Of the worlds news from American
sources.
New York is the distributing CEN
ter. but in many instances even Latin
American events, such, for instance,
as the recent Interparliamentary Com
merCial Congress in Rio de Janeiro,
are covered by American newspaper
men for the Argentine. Brazilian and
Chilean newspapers.
The great journals like La Prensa
and La Nacion of Buenos Aires, La
Nacion and Ell Mercurio Of Santiago
and the leading newspapers of Brazil
maintain their own staffs OF CORE
spondents at home and abroad. But
a large field is still left for American
press activities.
European Business Giving Up.
The situation with the press can be
used as an example for the situation
as a whole. Latin Americans might
prefer to get along without outside
help. They might prefer European
assistance to assistance from North
America. But they have to take what
they can get.
American superiority in the manu-.
facture of many indispenSa BILE prod