Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-07-24
LATIN AMERICANS TRADE
WITH S. DESPITE LIMOGES
Political Propaganda Apparently Has
Little Effect ON Merchants Seeking
Best i'm Market.

United States. and presented these
stations to the Central American re-
publics as a mark of brotherly love-
Every evening the Ariel News Serv-
ice" broadcasts from these stations
the news of the day. so distorted and
twisted with propaganda against the
United States that it is unrecogn'z-
able. The name Ariel Is the
pseudonym Of a writer known through
out Central America for his anti
American utterances. Such propa-
ganda Is often taken out of thin air.
and is based on nothing in particular
but everything in general.
But there is another type Of anti
American sentiment, eXemplified in
Argentina. Because Of three distinct
trade rows with the United States.
Argentina loves this country none too
we'll These rows, and what became
of them, are most enlightening.
There was the question of alfalfa
seed. for one. Argentina sent
small and inferior grade of alfalfa
seed to the United States. The De-
partment of Agriculture. in order to
guard the American farmer against
purchase of this seed. which is not
suited to the climate and soil of the
United States, decided to paint the
seed red. so that the farmer could
distinguish it from native seed. But
what row there was. Red is color
usually associated with danger or
with bulls. The Argentine press
took up the matter and made 1t APP.
pear that the United States was offer
ing a direct insult to the farmers of
Argentina by painting their seed red.
At the same time the Argentine Am
bassador to the United States stirred
his stumps and made a fight on the !
matter. 'All right" said the United |
States Department of Agriculture,
I'VE won't paint them red. Wen |
paint them orange instead.
Grape Case Recalled.
The farmers of Argentina gave |
three rousing cheers. They had won |
their fight. Their seed no longer was |
painted red, but orange. And the |
Ambassador. diplomat. who is not |
without political aspirations, became |
something Of hero.
Then there was the case of the
grapes. Argentina produces fine |
grapes, and most of them are free of |
disease. But a shipment of grapes |
reached the United States which was
found to be infected. They were de-
stroyed, and the United States shut
off Argentine grapes. There was an.
other tremendous howl. Discrimina-
ton was alleged. and the name of the
United States was ground under the
Argentine heel. Finally the row was
settled by the United States allowing
grapes to enter this country, subject |
to inspection. Another victory for
the Amba ssador.
Then there was beef. Argentina
ships a very small quantity of beef
to the United States. Her market is
in England. Exports of Argentine
chilled and prepared beef to the
United States were shut off on the |
ground that there was danger of foot |
and mouth disease, or rinderpest in
lection. This caused roars of angry
protest from Argentina, which |
feared that England's market might
be closed also. So the ban was re-
moved and a compromise reached |
whereby Argentine beef could enter
the United States If accompanied by
certificate stating that the beef was
not contaminated and had not passed
through a contaminated area. This
was satisfactory, although all beef
that comes from Argentina necessa.
rliy must pass through contaminated
area.
In such issues 1t is not hard to
the political capital that can
be made by attacking the United /
states. banning the United States
can make of the damner a hero.
But its effect on trade?
If, after hearing an anti-American
TRADE. the South American goes to
buy a candle, and finds one Of them
made in Germany and another in the
United States, and the cost of each is
the same, he probably will buy the
German-made candle.
But If he is choosing between two
articles. one OF which Is inferior he win
buy the superior article, regardless of
his personal feelings about the pres.
ence of Marines in Haiti, Nicaragu
or China. And this is fact. already
proved. and is not supposition or
theory.