Evening star., 1928-12-20
BY REX COLLIER,
staff Correspondent of The Star.

staff Correspondent of The Star.
ABOARD GOOD WILL BATTLE
SHIP IN SOUTH AMERICAN WA
TIERS. December 10.-Two good will
correspondents in quest of distinctive
native souvenirs to send home to the
folks for Christmas walked into dingy
out-of -the-way shop in lazy LUnion,
El Salvador, picked up a quaint looking
necklace of pearls and asked the
swarthy proprietor in demonstrative
Spanish:
How mucho bonita pearls whaddya
say Senor-saVvy?"
The pearls were indeed pretty. They
were nice large oneS-no doubt wreSted
from the depths Of tropical seas by ma
tive divers who little realized their true
worth.
The man behind the counter twirled
the frayed ends of his black mustache,
lifted his eyes slowly and said:
THAT necklace is ten dollar, but If
you want something better"
"Oh, er-er, then you spik Engleesh,
senor?"
Sure, we learn it in high school
down here, and, anyway, spent two
years in the States"
II see. Well, I'll take the necklace.
I1GIG yOuI ISIl
The newspaper men left the shop,
highly elated over their purchase. The
pearls must be worth at least several
hundred dollars, they agreed. Returned
to the ship, they displayed their bar
gain to their associates. One OF the
newspaper men was looking at the bot
tom of the plush case in which the
necklace lay.
Native pearls, did you say?" he
calculated between outlaws. "Lookit
this, buddy!"
Made in U. S. A.
The owner of the jewels looked. His
face Redeemed. On the case was in
scribed:
made in u S. A."
The moral of this story is not that
Latin American shopkeepers are not to
be trusted-for the L'Union merchant
had not misrepresented his goods in
any particular 1t was merely evidence
of the fact that no matter where one
goes in Central or South America one
will find the widening influence of
Uncle SAM an influence that touches
not only commerce and business and
the professions, but the mode of living,
the customs and the welfare OF the
people.
What the L'Union storekeeper said is
true. English is being taught in nearly
every high school of Uncle Sans sister
republics to the south. More than that,
1t is becoming the usual thing for
families of the wealthier class to send
their young men and women to North
American finishing schools and colleges
These young folk are bringing back with
them North American ideas of dress,
family life and industry. The radio
and the movies have played an all
important part. American automobiles
are replacing the OK cart as means of
ransportation-and with the advent of
the automobile has come the inevitable
movement for better streets and i'm
proved highways.
American engineering methods are
being imported to solve sanitation prob
lens and to provide pure water supply.
Modern medical science Is being invoked
to deal with questions of public health.
Aid of United States economists is being
enlisted in bettering governmental ad-
In short, Latin America is
marching steadily forward toward new
fields of governmental, industrial and
social advancement.
Hoover Greatly Pleased.
President-elect Hoover has noted these
signs Of progress with great satisfaction
His engineering mind rejoices at the
steps being taken to control sewerage,
provide pure water supplies, develop
waterpower resources and improve irri-
CATION. AS humanitarian he is graft
fled over the attention being given prob
lens of social welfare. And as an
administrator he Is pleased to see the
movement to adopt latest
theories Of political economy in gov
ernment.
Mr.. Hoover has seen, moreover, en-
couraging evidences of cooperation
between political parties in the common
goal for good government. Current elec-
tions have been remarkably free from
disorder, and partisans have been
brought together with bonds of post
election coordination astounding TO
those who have been in the habit of
linking Latin American politics with
revolution and bloodshed.
Non Politician Elected.
Take Honduras--first Of the Central
American republics to be visited-for
example President-elect Hoover" was
met at Amapala by DR.. Vicente Mejia
Colindres, cultured physician and nom
politician. chosen by the people Of
Honduras to be their next President
at an election several weeks ago that
was wholly free from disorder Of any
kind. Dr. Colindres was the candidate
put forward by a union of the Liberal
and Republican parties. He had never
run for public Office before. He was
known only as a highly-respected gen.
tleman of unquestioned integrity and
business ability and patriotism. He
easily defeated the National, or Con-
servative party's candidate.
DR.. Colindres presented q typically
North American appearance. He wore
O. well tailored American business suit