Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-06-15

the light of truth to under
VI stand each other: they need 1t
4 to direct their lives, just as
navigators in the middle Of the
ocean need the light of scientific knowl-
edge in order to orient themselves and
reach port in safety. Navigators have
this knowledge in their compasses and
maritime charts, which are precise and
automatically correct. Nations have
no compasses or charts wherewith to
discover truth, but they have the coun-
sci of men devoted to the pursuit of
high ideals and the testimony of known
facts and statistics.
Such counsel and testimony take
printed form, in books which appear
from time to time to enlighten man in
the search for truth, just as light houses
illumine for navigators the darkness of
the oceans.
One of these books has just appeared.
From its pages will result wider I'M
| derstanding and a clearer conception of
one of the main political problems of
| our day. And the nations concerned
will undoubtedly profit by the frank
| and open discussion Of the truth in this
book, regardless of long standing preju-
dices and misunderstanding
The book deals with the pan-Ameri-
can situation, than which no other in
! ternational movement, probably, has
4
misconception. For years foreign writer's
and foreign politicians-first the Euro
| peanS and later the Latin Americans
influenced by the former-have spread
erroneous conceptions as to the real es-
Sence OF the pan-American cause, Just
because the United States was leading
the way, and, not knowing this country,
| they feared 1t.
When Simon Bolivar, the South
American hberator, the George Wash
ington Of the Southern Hemisphere.
spoke for the first time of the pan
American ideal, in an interamerican
assembly in Panama in 1926, no one in
Latin America thought of mysterious
designs, or evil intentions, of imperial
istic ambitions hidden behind the name
OF pan -Americanism. Nobody thought
then OF any Of the nations on this con-
tinent using the pan-American scheme
for furthering their own interests to
the detriment of others. But, years
later, when the statesmen of this coun-
try rescued the pan-American idea from
oblivion and undertook to carry it out
and make it reality things looked DIFF
ferent to certain groups of men who
saw that closer friendship of the Latin
American nations with the United
States, and the leadership of the lat
ter, would result in ever-increasing In
jury to their material and private In
terests. So, at the very outset of the
pan-American movement, taken I'D for
the first time by the United States,
when Secretary of State Blaine pro-
posed continental congress, those
groups launched campaign Of sus-
picion and distrust, charging the United
states with SelfishneSs Of purpose and
evil intent.
Scented Yelled Designs.
They were afraid of the enormous
disproportion in potential resources and
economic strength between the "Colos-
: sus of the North" and the still unor-
ganized republics of the South. They
could not understand the enthusiasm
OF the United States for parliamentary
! ism, except on the supposition that II
yelled designs on her part for obtaining
} domination and control over the rest
of the continent. This was the origin
of the Yankee Imperialism" legend
one which has greatly impaired Uncle
Sans prestige, not only in Latin Amer
lea, but in the rest of the world as
well, and which has, at the same time
deprived the Latin nations Of the lin
itless benefits which would have re-
suited from better understanding of
their big brother of the North.
Propaganda along this line, materially
aided by the almost complete-and mu-
tual-lack of knowledge which has
been the outstanding characteristic of
PAN Amertcan relations until recently,
found fertile ground among the more
excitable classes of SpaniSh-America.
1t was helped along now and then by
some political mistakes of this country
in the Caribbean region and by certain
financial complications for which the
Union as a whole could not be held
responsible.
In recent years, 1t Is true, q great
change Is being brought about in this
regard, and the Latin Americans seem
to be turning at last toward the light of
truth which is showing them the way to
better understanding and greater bene-
fits for all. However, there is still much
to be done. The recognition of truth
comes slowly. If it is hard to correct a
mans errors, how much more gigantic
is the task of putting whole people on
the right track, and infinitely greater
still when the question affects a group
of peoples.
This is why "Pan-Americanism and
European Opinion" by OreStes Ferrara,
Cuban Ambassador to the United States,
is book that deserves praise and care
full study by every one interested in the
success of that idealistic movement.
Because it contributes to the establish
ment of the real facts and true posi-
tons in the pan-American situation.
Because 1t clears the way, explaining
away misunderstanding and showing
up Misrepresentation that have been
made, whether intentionally or not. Be-
cause it calls things by their own names,
clarifying and supporting with unusual
sincerity the main feature, both politi-
cal and economical, OF the pan-Ameri-
can scheme. Because, In a word, 1t is
new light along the road to truth.
Although not the first work Of its
kind written by Latin authority in
support of the pam American idea, this
is the frankest and most complete one.
The author, Mr.. Ferrara, IS ID an espe-
cially good position to know all about
the pan-American problems Of our day,
because of his diplomatic position. Both
in the discharging Of his duties as dip
lomatic representative of his country In
washington during the past four years,
and in the course of his public life in
Cuba-in the army, in the press, In the
Congress. in the Cuban government-he
has come in contact with every aspect
of the problem. He knows things and
he tells them. He knows the real things
and he tells them frankly.
Author of Several Books.
Also. Mr.. Ferrara brings to the dis
cussion the prestige of his own person.
ality, well known as a statesman and
writer. He is the author of several
books in Spanish, French and English,
to be found in the most important Ii
braries of Latin America. His last work
before the publication of Pan Ameri-
canism and European. opinion" was q
study on Machiavelli, which mertted
highly favorable comment last year from
the foremost critics of Europe and
America. AS a politician, Mr.. Ferrara
has not only taken prominent part in
the foundation and organization of the
Cuban Republic, but has attracted the
| spotlight in international assemblies,