Evening star., 1929-06-30
BY GAsTON NrRvAL.
Authority on Latin American Affsi

United States Senator, has JUS
given fund of 81 ,000, 900 for the
~ eStablis ,nent of exchange Schol-
arShips for students of the United
States and of Latin America. The full
significance of this foundation in tho
development of intellectual relations
between the Americas, necessity fol
the success of the Pan-American ideals
of our present day, is not easily real
iZed by persons accustomed to hear cas-
ual discussions of donations such as
this or larger ones for divers charitable
or cultural purposes. Nevertheless, al
though the donation has received but
passing notice from the American news
papers, 1t is destined to have enormous
Importance in the future development
of inter American relations.
The weakest point in the Pan-Amer-
tcan cause has always been the lack
of real knowledge of each other among
the peoples of Latin and of Saxon
America. To this lack can be attributed
all the misunderstanding and all the
mistakes which have been hindering
franker and closer relations between the
peoples of the South and those of the
North. The ignorance which exists
here as to the ways of life and mode
of thought of the LatinS is as great as
that of the latter as to the true ideals
and aspirations held in this country,
OF which they see only the material or
economic aspects or its eccentricitieS.
There is absolute ignorance on both
sides, preventing an understanding of
the purposes. thought and efforts of
each. Anything which may aid in
changing this condition of affairs will
do more for .Pan-AmericaniSm than all
the goodwill missions.
Deeper Understanding Needed.
Peoples who do not know each other
cannot understand each other. 1t is
the same with nations as with indi-
viduals-a mere superficial acQuaint-
ance cannot form the basis of a deep
and sincere friendship. Intimate knowl-
edge, and, above all. spiritual under
standing, Is necessary for true friend
ships. And now in the Americas there
IS not only ignorance of higher things
but also of mere geography.
Not long ago a young man from Peru
went to STUDY In Columbia University,
and protested against the prevalent
ignorance of things Latin American
which he had encountered. He re-
marked Indignantly: 1T is incredible
that in the schools of this country they
do not take the trouble to teach even
the geograp-- of Latin America.
have heard it stated here that Para
quay is a province of Argentina that
Buenos Aires is the capital of Brazil,
that Colombia is the capital of Vene-
zuela. On the other hand, 1 myself
have always known that New York Is
the capital of the United States"
Speaking generally, all that the Latin
Americans know about their Saxon
American neighbors is what they read
in the daily cable news. This rarely
contains more than mention of the
newest Skyscrapers in New York, the
l0f0rt SYOrY-tipo hnyiv1n ,naofahao
crimes, exploits of Chicago bandits,
condition of the stock markets or the
latest films being made in Hollywood.
The news agencies take little trouble to
make known in Latin America anything
about the intellectual movements, the
cultural activities or artistic achieve
ments, or even the political ideals of
the United States.
Ignorance Is TwO-Sided.
And in the same way when the
American dailteS mention a country Of
South or Central America it Is because
some civil rebellion has broken out,
some commercial failure is feared, or
because it has been discovered that in
some place or other some Indians are
still living in state Of savagery. Little
or nothing is known here of the cu1-
tural activities and achievements of
the Latin Americans, nor Of the ideals
that inspire the Latin leaders who are
working day by day for the material
and spiritual progress of their nations.
There are, of course, notable exceptions
on both sides. and these exceptions go
to form the bases o. which tomorrow
will rise the structure of New World
fraternity. Senator Guggenheim, who
Is promoting this interchange of stu
dents, is one of the notable exceptions.
Heretofore whenever a North Ameri-
can has shown interest in learning
about things Latin American it has
almost invariably been because he had
in mind some great financial or COM
mercial project. Hence, of course, the
Latin has become accustomed to regard
the men of the North as capitalists,
merchants, business men-nothing else.
In the same way the Latin is regarded
here usually as a person with little lik-
ing for work, careless, a dreamer, a
poet or a good tango dancer. And
neither the one nor the other takes
much interest in the intellectual
achievements of his neighbor or in fol-
lowing their examples in any way.
! intellectually Neglected.
OF the three factors upon which de-
pend the success of the Pan-American
movement none has been so neglected
as the intellectual phase. The two
otherS-the political and economic fac
torS-have gained much ground in the
past few years. The strengthening of
official and diplomatic relations be-
tween the United States and each of
the Latin American republics has pro-
gressed notably. Efforts have been made
to avoid the reefs which had hereto
fore obstructed or which still hinder
the establishment Of really close rela-
tions, and everything has been done to
win the good will of the nations south
OF the Rio Grande. That no more has
been accomplished is due precisely to
that lack of mutual understanding be-
tween the parties. AS to the economic
phase, it Is needless to repeat here sta
ttstics on the extraordinary increase in
the commercial relations between this
country and those of Iberian America
During the past 10 years the totals OF
exports and imports have doubled, and
the interest of business men in estab-
fishing trade with the LatinS has in
creased a hundred fold. The increase
of capital invested by United States
firms and individuals in the various
Latin countries of the Americas has
also reached high totals. Politically
and economically all seems to be going
swimmingly.
Nevertheless, no matter how close the
economic relations nor how many the
ofhcial missions between the countries
of the Americas, the work of Pan
Americanism will never be complete sc
long as the intellectual is not consid-
cred. This can only be accomplished
through intellectual interchange anc
better mutual understanding among the
peoples.
A First Step.
The Guggenheim Foundation is the
first Official step in this direction, ir
creating an exchange Of students be.
tween the universities of Latin America
nd those of the limited States These