The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1928-11-22
THE GOODWILL VOYAGE

Mr.. Hoover's Latin American trip
was happy inspiration. The Presi
dent-elect knows the world as few
other men do, having lived and
worked as an engineer and admins
traitor in most parts of it-North
America, Europe, Asia, Africa and
Australia. South America is the on
ly continent to which his profession
did not call him. 1t is the only one in
which he has not established direct
personal contacts.
The present trip will fill the gaps
in his first-hand acquaintance with
conditions the world over. He will
visit some of the Central American
states, having already done engineer
ing work in Mexico, which he will
probably revisit. But south of Pana-
ma he will enter new territory, closely
allied politically as we'll as economi-
! cally with the United States and
yearly assuming larger Importance
in the working out of the problems Of
Pan Americanism.
No time could have been better
chosen for the President-elect's tour
in Latin America. The Havana con-
ference last winter reawakened inter-
est in the relations of the American
republics and in the possibilities OF
extended intercourse and cooperation
among them. Before the delegates
assembled an intensive effort was
made, both in Europe and in this
country, to create the impression that
a solid Latin-American bloc had been
formed to combat this country's "im-
perialism." 1t was a fanciful con-
ception that the United States was
going to stand isolated, with its back
against the wall, at Havana. The
prophets Of ill-will soon discovered
that there was no Latin-American
bloc hostile to the United States. It
was demonstrated, on the contrary,
that this country and the Latin
American states did not differ essen
TALLY as to the purpose and future of
an-Americanism. The existing union
is not political and is not intended to
be so. Its aim is friendly association
for common benefit in the field of
communications, international help
fulness and comfy, enlarged trade
and commerce, intellectual relations
and continental solidarity The con-
ference ended with many confusions
removed and a better understanding
of the limitations and possibilities of
cooperation established.
Mr.. Hoover goes south as messen-
ger of good will and as student of
political and economic conditions,
says the New York Herald Tribune.
He is not travelling as a sort of super
salesman or as the advance agent of
American foreign trade. 1t would
not be decorous for him to do any,
thing of that sort. AS President he
will have to direct our political rela-
tions with the Latin American states,
and that task will be eased by ac-
quaintance with their peoples and
leaders. South America is, economi-
cally speaking, a new continent. It's
trade with the United States and it's
demand for American capital will
rapidly increase. There is a mutual
advantage in this development and
one which needs to be stressed to
South Americans themselves. What
the President-elect's gesture does
stress is this country's desire to cult
vate friendship and neighborliness in
its dealings with the other American
peoples. That comes first
The Western world, unlike the Eas-
tern, is one of brotherhood, of kin
ship due to similar political origins,