Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-12-25
BY BEN McEEI.WAY.

traNing the state of eXlStlllS felalloi'S
between the United States and the
Latin American countries The first may be
termed the pooh pooh, or Poyanna, methoo'
by which all causes for MISUNDERSTANDING or
dispute pooh poohed away. while there
ascend paeans of praise for the dawn or a new
of brotherly love, unseffsh henevolence or
whatever one chooses to call it. The other
meihod is favored by doubters pcssimlstS ana
croakers. whose cynical outlook on life per-
suadcs them that inhabitants of countries south
of the Rio Grande devote their time, between
sestas, to singing hymns Of hate in which the
Gringo is the object of supreme and passion
ate contempt because of his egotism, his amb
ton and his intense love of large quantities or
nickels, dimes, quarters and other negotiable
coin.
Nothing particularly is gained in the pursuit
of either method, but fortunately there is n
middle ground between the two extremes.
1t takes into account the fact that when one
speaks of Latin America one includes about
one.seventh of the land of the globe that
when one speaks of pan-AmeriCan relations
one is speaking of relations between twenty-one
independent and separate republics. the prog
ress of some of them representing the maxi
mum attainmentS to date of the human race
the progress of others to be measured only
by turning back the pages of history for
century so. and that when speaks of
better understanding means closer
quantance and easier intercourse between
mountains and miles and rivers and forests
alone. but by language customs and traditions
in which the lives Of nations are rooted.
Steps to take down these barriers are, at
best. only steps. They require infinite pa
tience. for misstep often means a step back
ward Progress cannot be counted in days
and weeks or months. but becomes apparent
only in years Sometimes the total progress in
one direction may be traced in good intentions
alone. There have been five international con
ferences of the American States since 1889 and
the sixth is about to he held in Havana.
They have been the means of arranging other
gatherings, too numerous to mention, where
experts and others interested in specific ques
tons of importance TO the Americas have met
and threshed out their problems Yet it would
be difficult to place finger any meet
ing and point ii out having accomplished
anything of outstanding importance, as hav
ing had any great effect in uniting spiritually
physically the American Republics But
taken as a whole their Importance may be
gagged by the relations today between the
United States and the Latin American coun.
tries.
rather tangible expression OF what these
relations have come to mean is found in the
fact that commerce between them can no
longer be counted in terms Of millions of dollars
hundreds Of millions of dollars every year.
more than billion dollars worth Of products
TO the countries of Latin America and is buy
ing from them nearly billion dollars worth.
so that their annual trade involves some two
billion dollars. recent estimate by the De-
partment of Commerce showed that invest
ments of citizens OF the United States in Latin
American countries total some $4,000. 600 900.
an amount which exceeds the annual invest.
ment Of the people Of the United States I'm
maintaining and expanding their own Govern
ment. Today the United States is the chief
market for the products Of nearly every Latin
American country One notable exception Is
Argentina. which must sell her beef and cere-
ais elsewhere. But while Argentina sold no
haxseed in the United States In 1918 she sold
s26.000.000 worth in 1926. an illustration of
how new n.aghsts being provided In the
United states. Bovias chief product tin
must go 10 Europe. and the coffee OF Costa
Rica and Salvador does not appeal to American
taste. But unless there ia some easily ex-
planned cause. all Latin American countries
are turning - the United States 10 sell their
wares. On the other hand, the United States
pfedominatcs the market in selling It's goods
In all the Latin American countries except