Evening star., 1928-12-02
BY GASTON NERVAL,
Authority on Latin American Affair

Hoover will. during his visit in Latin
America, become acquainted With them,
thereby facilitating their not far dis
tant solution. In each of the countries
he will visit the distinguished "Ambas-
sador of Good Will" will come in con-
tact with new problems heretofore un-
known to him that today are of vital
importance to those countries and
which may very well have great bear
ing in the friendly relations of those
countries with the United States.
There are two principal problems
which today hinder the good relations
of the Central American republics with
Uncle Sam. The first is economic and
the other political In so far as the
political issue is concerned, 1t consists
In the long-debated controversy of the
interventions of the United States in
the internal affairs of those republics.
That policy of armed Intervention
which the Washington Government has
been conducting for many years, to re-
establish order or to protect the lives
and property of its nationals residing
in those countries, has been sowing
distrust and diff1dence in the minds of
those people, which some day might
result in serious consequences.
New Feeling Prevails.
A new feeling against the United
States hegemony seems to prevail in
Central America, coupled with a reac-
tionary movement against that which
they believe to be Yankee imperialism"
It is matter of history that the United
States has on several occasions inter-
fered IN the affairs of the Caribbean
countries, either by armed forces or
through diplomatic channels. Marines
have been landed repeatedly on the
shores OF Nicaragua, Cuba, Santo Do
rningo and Haiti, and even today there
are United States forces in some Of
those countries for the purpose of
/. maintaining peace and order. These
interventionS were conducted in sew
eral instances to protect the lives and
property of its citizens; in others to re-
establish peace which had been jeop-
ardized by revolutionary movements of
the natives, and still in others to avoid
the danger of possible interference
by any of the European powers against
their independence, as was the case
with Venezuela in the year 1895. Every
step taken by the Washington Govern
ment in this respect has been criti-
cized and looked upon by the enemies
of Pan-AmericaniSm as a further proof
OF the pecuniary and imperialistic de-
signs of the United States in Central
America. And even though the United
States has so far shown its good will
and honesty of purpose in such under
takings. however, that propaganda has
already harvested its fruit and today
evil designs are attributed to the land
Ing Of Marines on the shores of Span
1sh America. This is the most serious
problem which this country is facing in
Central America. As long as the ex-
tent OF the justice or injustice of these
accusations Of imperialism against the
United States remains unexplained, the
problem will continue to hinder and
impair the relations of these countries.
Economic Problem.
The economic problem which lust as
Vitally affects the relations of the Amer
lean States has been the result OF the
attitude taken by certain North Amer
lean corporations which are engaged in
business in several of the Central Amer
ican republics. These same corporations
besides pursuing commercial aims, are
contantly seeking certain privileges
which might benefit their own private
interests, and to that end interfere
either slyly or openly in the internal
affairs Of those countries to such an
extent that they jeopardize their politi-
cal and economic independence There
have been instances where corporations
availing themselves of their great
+ wealth, have succeeded and actually
caused the appointment of Presidents:
have fomented and financed revolutions
and established governments to suit
their desires, with the result that they
have corrupted the political morals of
those nations under whose laws they
speculate.
Not so very long ago a dispute of two
North American fruit companies nearly
gave rise to an armed conflict between
two Central American republics; neith-
er has it been very long that because
OF Costa Rica's cry of Costa Rica for
Costa Ricans," an energetic campaign
was conducted against the political in
reference and absorbing policies of
these commercial enterprises. Great
public demonstrations and mass meet
ings were held against a certain power
fu1 American corporation and the con-
f1scation Of its property was contem-
plated If such corporation would con-
Jinue to discriminate against native
capital in the pursuance of its business,
or if it should persist in its designs to
use its influence in the internal affairs
Of the nation. Undoubtedly similar
demonstrations will be made against
such foreign corporations in the other
Central American republics, for they
are beginning to show new and power
ful nationalistic concern. This will be
the other vital problem of which Mr..
Hoover, during his visit in Central
America, unquestionably will hear about.
Relations With Cuba.
During his visit in Cuba the President
elect also will learn that these same
economic and political problems are
affecting the relations of the United
States with that small but prosperous
republic. The political one dates back
some 25 years when an agreement was
entered into between the United States
and that republic shortly after its llbera-
tion from the Spanish crown, thanks to
the efforts of the natives and the op-
perfume and material aid of Uncle Sam.
This agreement is known as the "Platt
Amendment" for it was United States
Senator Platt who drafted it. and it
contains a series of articles which the
Cubans interpret as an encroachment
upon their sovereignty. One of the
articles of this agreement provides that
the Cuban government shall not enter
into or sign international treaties with
out the previous consent of the United
States. Another Stipulates that the
United States reserves the right to in
tervene in the affairs of the Cuban re-
public when deemed advisable to pre-
serve order or to protect the republic
against foreign aggression. It also re-
serves the right to intervene for the
purpose of protecting the lives ano
property of its nationals residing in the
neighboring island. A strong public
opinion in Cuba, specially within the
last few years, has asserted itself with
view of urging its government to bring
before the United States the question Of
repeating the so-called PLAT Amend.
ment," which that republic interpret;
as an international tutelage.
Hold Guarantees Not Needed.
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