Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-01-30
Two Dinners for Mission Will
Live Long in Memory
of Guests.
MARIMBA BAND PLAYS
Youngster at the Drums Is
Paid High Compliment
for SynCopation.
BY REX COLLIER.

Jor the United States, are to be
gained from the interesting story
tOritten ty Rer Collier, The Stars
otcn representative on the trip,
o0hich began January 20. The story,
NTH all its intimate details, 1UW
continue in The Star until completed.
The two dinners rendered the good
will mission in L'Union by the govern
ment Of Salvador-one in honor of Mr.
and Mrs. Hoover and their staff. on the
upper porch of the railway building,
near the dock, and the other in honor
Of the press, at the unpretentious Amer
lean Hotel-Were functions that will
live long in the memory Of those priv
legged to be present.
Both were held amid picturesque sur
roundings, and both afforded the good
will party its first opportunity to sam
pie the rich. highly-Seasoned cooking
of Latin America
Having been turned away foodlesS
from the American Hotel earlier in the
evening, the newspaper men were dubi-
Gus about returning there when they
learned that the government had pre-
pared a feast at the hotel for them
The manager, through an interpreter,
apologized profusely, however. explain
ing he had not recognized the press
contingent when it first called and was
reserving all his food especially for the
governments guests. The miSunder-
standings soon were forgotten as the
hungry correspondents plunged into the
welcome task of satiating their appe-
titles. 1t must be added, however, that
the American Hotel in L'Union does
not serve American-style food.
Table Set on Porch.
While the press was being enter
tanned on the courtyard porch of the
hotel, the President and his wife
were being feted as only a hospitable
Central American republic can fete
honored guests. A long table had been
set on the screened, open porch on the
second floor of the railway house, and
it was burdened with vases of tropical
flowers. The rattle of dishes and the
confusion Of voices mingled inharmoni-
ously with the stirring strains of Span
ish marches and the soft airs of Latin
love songs played by uniformed band
on the lawn below.
Salvador. like Honduras. has no pro-
hibition law. At each plate were wine
glasses and champagne tumbler. and.
fortunately for the President-elect of
the dry United States, there was also
bottle OF mineral water for each guest.
The food was served in courses, with
an abundance of gravies and sauces and
condiments. There were courses of
fish and fowl and meats and several
varieties OF vegetables, some familiar
and some strange. Great bowls of
bananas, oranges, figs and manages sup
piled the dessert.
Prior to the banquet Mr.. Hoover had
conferred with the Salvador officials
regarding their country and it's affairs.
In this conference, as with the discus
sions in Honduras, the President-elect
had sought to impress his hosts with
the fact that he was not on a trade
boosting expedition for American ex-
porters, and he had purposely avoided
initiating a discussion of trade prob
lens. He had found, however, that the
Central Americans were eager to stimu-
late commerce between their ports and
the United States. Perhaps that is why
Mr.. Hoover touched upon the CONNER
cial theme in his brief remarks at the
close OF the state banquet.
Foundation of Progress.
1--WE probably hear more of economic
and trade relations between countries
than any other one subject in the field
of international life" he said. This
may be easily explained, for out of our
economic life do we build up the foun-
dations upon which other progress
rests
And our international economic re-
lations can have but one real founda-
ton. They can grow only out of the
prosperity of each of US. They cannot
flourish in the poverty or degeneration
OF any of us. Our economic progress is
mutual. 1t Is not competitive.
But economic development does not
and should not be the sole basis OF
exchange between nations. but rather
the incident thereof. We have the
mutual problems of peace. of building up
confidence and friendship and the in
situations and ideals of each Of our
nations"
Salvador's commercial relations with
the United States prior to Mr. Hoover's
visit had been the chief factor in the
spread of North American good will in
that country. Prior to the World War,
Salvador viewed Uncle Sam with sus-
picion and rather resented his efforts
to cut in on the trade built up by
enterprising British and German mer-
chants. Changed economic conditions,
growing out of the war, gave American
commerce its chance to break into the
Salvador markets, and even to venture
into the field of railroading then
monopolized by the British. Now, &C
cording to Salvador officials who greeted
the party at L'Union, the feeling of
distrust which once reigned has given
way to one of friendly understanding,
Toasts Follow Oratory.
The after-dinner oratory was fol-
lowed by the usual toasts, with Mr.. and
Mrs. Hoover handling the champagne
problem as automatically as they had
handled it at Amapala.
Word was sent in that a native
marimba band was DESTROYS of giving a
special concert in honor of "Presidente
and Sonora Hoover" Senor and Sonora
Hoover Joined in an immediate request
that the band be admitted forthwith.
The band was composed of about 10
Indian marimbists of various ages and
heights, possibly all members of one
family. The youngest was brown lad
of or 7 years, carrying trap drum
and sticks.
The handmade narimba table which
the natives had brought with them was
too big to go through the doorway, SO
the legs were removed and it was car
ried in sideways. Then it was discov-
cred the instrument was too unwieldly
| to be taken up the narrow stairway
The perspiring natives had about
reached their wits end when Mrs
Hoover appeared and said she would
! come downstairs for the concert.
The marimba is native to that part
of Central America and the unframed
musicians who Serenaded the HooverS
that evening displayed skill that won
Mrs. Hoovers unstinted admiration
The selections included popular Spanish
tango airs and a~humber of melodious
native songs of the pre-colonial era.
Master of Syncopation.
The youngster at the trap and bass
| drums was master of syneopation
and he performed so strikingly that
Mrs Hoover was moved to gather hin,
| iptn her arms and eYnress her roo,y,li