Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-02-10
GOOD WILL OF LATINS
HAZARDED BY TARIFFS
Proposed Changes in American Seized.
ules Said to Threaten Economic
Life of Nations to the South.
BY CASTOR NERvAL.


duties upon foreign agriculture
products, has brought to light one O
the most vital aspects of pan-Amer1
canism. In this century of ours, where
''cold" figures and the laws of financt
govern and guide the affairs of men, i
becomes quite impracticable to success
fully separate political problems from
economic realities; there is seldom pc.
litical movement that is not founded
on economic factors, nor international
diplomacy that is not written in math-
ematical characters. So to pretend that
pan-Americanism, one of the modern
political tendencies of greater signifl.
canoe, preScind from economic facts
and limit itself to mere ethics or to q
literary formula, is absurd. Pan-Amer-
icanism, like all political ideals OF ouI
present day, must be based on economic
experiences and actual figures.
The reactionary feeling produced In
0le Spanish-speaking countries because
of the proposed increase of American
tariffs and the great interest with
which the continent as whole has
been following American congressional
trends, once more serves to prove that
such is the case.
Unrest Is Caused.
In Mexico. Argentina, Brazil, Cuba
and Chile, and in other Latin Ameri-
can republics, the increase of the Gus
toms duties on certain agricultural
products originating in those countries
has caused unrest and subjected to q
criticism not at all favorable to the
cause of pan-Americanism.
During the past week BuenoS Aires
was made the scene of great public
demonstrations in protest Of proposed
high tariffs on linen, wheat and other
Argentine products, which the Ameri-
can producers have been SO insistently
asking of the Washington Congress.
The proposed increase of the tariffs
on Cuban sugar has caused most un-
favorable feeling in that republic, for
the very life of the island republic de-
ponds on that particular produce, and
today the press is advocating that re-
prisals be taken against all North
American products destined for Cuban
ports.
This same state of affairs prevails in
other countries, which threatens to de-
stroy thc good faith which Spanish
America had reposed on the late poll
cies of friendship and so inspired In
generosity adopted by the United
States toward them. Thus, the real
danger lies in that the tariff question
and the measures which may be adopt
may nullify all the friendly understand
ing sown by the good will visit of Mr..
Hoover.
Latin American Viewpoint.
Here is the Latin American line Of
reasoning:
How could it be possible, the Latin
Americans contend. that a country who
Is the first to uphold the cause of PAN
Americanism; who repeatedly nanifests
her love for international harmony; of
her desire to bring about closer rela-
tons with our nations. could impede the
development of their commerce by
levying such high duties on their nat
ural products2 How can North Ameri-
can statesmen hope to gain the good
will and friendship of the nations south
of the Rio Grande If today they are
discussing the means of placing addi-
tional barriers to their economic de-
velopment?
How can political harmony be en-
Joyed while economic diScord Is being
sown?
These are everyday questions asked
bE Latin Americans, and they are at
odds to understand why the United
States, which are so DESTROYS of con-
trolling the South American markets,
should at the same time render it more
difficult for the Latin American prod
ucts to reach her shores. How can IN
Gle Sam hope to conquer these markets
II he is closing the doors to the Latin
American products?
Denounced at Havana.
Not so very long ago, when the Sixth
Pan-American Conference was being
held in Havana, the Argentine delegate,
Mr.. Pueyrredon, who previously, as Am
bassador to the United States, had the
occasion to protest against the IMPOSE
ton of high tariffs before the State De-
fore that assembly the pronibitionist
policies followed by the United States
Government and their damaging effects
upon the Latin American republics the
majority of whose products were ship
ped to this country. Mr.. Pueyrredon
also stated that the high tariffs were
tnnpairing the economic life of each Of
the southern republics and that they
constituted a permanent menace to the
good relations of the northern and
southern people, because the Latin
American countries were forced to sell
their principal products to the United
States even though the tariffs we're
excessive, while compelled to import
from the United States enormous
quantities of goods which enjoy the
benefits of the low duties maintained
by those countries. 1t is certainly be-
cause of this inequality of conditions
that the United States perhaps does
canoe OF the problem.
The most recent and striking exam
pie of the tariff problem Is that of
Cuba. The American producers of beet
and cane sugar have appeared before
the committee of ways and means de-
manding an increase of the duties on
the Cuban sugar imported into the
United States. Sugar being the main
produce of the island republic, and this
country its main consumer, 1t can be
easily understood that the adoption Of
such a measure would vastly affect their
commercial intercourse and, above all,
the internal economic situation OF the
island. For this reason the mere thought
of possible change in the present
tariffs has caused an alarming feeling
In that Caribbean country.
Situation with Cuba.
In accordance with a treaty of COM
f1erce signed by both nations more than
20 years ago, when Cuba became an in
dependent republic, today the Cuban
products enjoy more or less discount
of 20 per cent. Likewise North Ameri-
can goods shipped to Cuban ports ale
allowed similar reduction OF the Gus
toms duties. BY reason of this treaty
the rates imposed on Cuban sugar are
reasonable enough to enable her to
maintain a low price in the North
American market. even lower than that
produced in this country. And as this
ferinrocal agreement is sanctioned by
the pact referred to, which only the
legislative bodies of both republics can
modify. the American producers are
demanding an increase in the tariffs as
the only means to raise the price OF
the Cuban sugar. From 2.20, which is
now the standard duty levied on the i'm
portation of sugar, or 1.76 for Cuba, the
American producers are urging that
this be increased to or cents. "ob-