Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-11-16
POLITICAL PSYCHOLOGY.

HSYCHOLOGY is indeed outstand-
- ing IN the study of political
science. If we stop to consider
4 the different ways In which DIFF
feFent people react to similar
phenomena we would have the clue to
a far better understanding Of political
events.
We may all have had common an
cestors and similar beginnings; we may
all have come from the same original
being-call him Adam or a monkey,
according to whether you believe with
the Bible or with the author of OAR
wtnism-but the fact remains that after
q few thousand years the human mind
today Is divided into as many different
ways of thinging as there are races on
the face of the earth.
Time, history, geographic influences,
economic and social factors-they have
all contributed to create this marked
variation in psychological reactions
which make 1t so difficult for the ma
jority of people to understand the atti-
tude and behavior Of people Of other
lands.
The average American newspaper
reader regards not only with surprise
but with q certain horror and disdain
the violent methods by which his Latin
American brother chooses to put
through his political plans. He simply
cannot understand why his Southern
brother should pursue the course OF
politics with such passionate ardor, ana
why he should prefer the use OF bullets
to that of ballots in expressing his
political dissatisfaction.
FIND WAY OUT AT POLLS.
In the last five months he has read
Of four violent upheavals in South
American countries, caused primarily py
economic depression and an awakening
Of public sentiment against dictatorial
forms of government. On the other
hand, he has Just seen q similar ten
dency of public disapproval in his own
country manifested in far more demo-
cratic way. Public discomfort and bad
economic conditions resulted down on
the other side of the Rio Grande in
four major revolutions. The same ele-
ments here have just brought about an
electoral defeat of the party in power.
That Is to say, the same popular reac-
ton which required the use OF guns In
Latin America found q way out here
through the polls.
It Is true that In the former case
an even greater issue was at stake, that
of individual liberties, these having been
@SOSANS@g
ousted from power. But even without
this the Latin American crises were
bound to end in violent turmoil, just
as certainly as the axon American
one was bound to be solved at the polls.
More temperamental, more passion
ate, with that ardent disposition typi-
cal Of Latin blood seething constantly
In his veins, the Latin American Is
much more emphatic than his North
ern neighbor In his political feelings.
And being as yet little engaged In COM
mercial or industrial activities, he Is
also more concerned in politics ana
more dependent upon them.
Under these circumstances 1t Is not
difficult to understand why any eco
nomic, social, religious or even intel
lectual controversy must have q politi-
cal reaction among the Latin Ameri-
cans, and why this reaction has to
be passionate and violent one.
The Latin Americans are less con-
sentative, less tolerant, less patient, less
lenient In politics. The prohibition laws,
for instance, would have caused q revo-
luton In any Latin American country
long, long ago.
AMERICAN EXPERTS.
Those who still believe that one Of
the yelled reasons behind the recent
revolutions in South America was a
rebuke to the Intervention of American
capital and Of American experts whose
services had been engaged by the gov
ernments just overthrown win prob
ably be surprised to hear that the new
Peruvian administration has asked
Prof. Edwin Kemmerer of Princeton
University to act as financial adviser
IN the reorganization Of Peruvian ma
tional revenues and the sterilization
OF Peruvian exchange.
When the news of the downfall of
the Leguia regime was first known here
score Of newspapers pointed out that
the disposed President had been ex-
tremely friendly 10 American economic
penetration In Peru and that the tri-
imphant movement might be an ener-
getic reaction against such q tendency.
Business leaders became somewhat
alarmed in this country, and the i'm
preston arose that the new Peruvian
authorities would be more reluctant in
seeking the cooperation Of American
experts.
AS always happens with unpleasant
news, this miEinterpretation spread
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