Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-03-23

problems. This is due to the fact that most
travellers In South America have little desire
for cultural knowledge and are merely spending
their money to pass the time and to satisfy
superficial curiosity
In general visitors to Bolivia since it became
a republic have merely taken photographs of
few Indians gone to some characteristic festi-
walls for which the Indians have worked up an
artificially stimulated enthusiasm and bought a
few articles made by the Indians Back in the
United States the tourist exhibits trophies
the articles made by the Indians and publishes
the extravagant photographs as Bolivian"
Rarely does he have the discernment-not to
say tactic say they are Indian things from
Bolivia
Nor does it often occur to the writers or trav-
elers who have visited Bolivia to state that
these Indians form only portion of the total
population; that they are completely isolated
element which gradually Is being educated and
brought into step with civilization. They do
not explain that the political, administrative
social and economic life of the nation is en-
tirely in the hands of the white people. The
Indian is often employed servant, but for
the most elementary kinds of labor. The inter-
mediate element however-the "cholo" of mixed
white and Indian blood-through education and
the money he accumulates, is often able to
share with the white men and sometimes out
strips them In work and business. Neverthe-
less even the "cholo" has never aroused interest
in the North American tourist.
It is true that there great numbers Of
Indians in Bolivia. It is true that they dress
just as they appear in the tourists photographs,
bedecked with fol-de-rols of crude colors 1t Is
true that on their holidays they parade the
back streets Of the towns, doing exotic dances
to the sound Of highly inharmonious music.
And it is fact that all this is spectacle
irresistiby attractive to the astonished tourist.
Nevertheless, none Of these facts warrant COM
pletely ignoring the white people Of Bolivia, who
alone rule the nation.
TITLE is known in this country of the white
people of Bolivia, although 1t would be much
easier to depict their life than the weird customs
of the Indians. To make the average inhabitant
of the United States understand what the
white people Of Bolivia are and how they live,
one only has to say one thing: They are just
as white as are the people Of this country
and those who carry on the political, CONNER
cial religious and industrial activities Of Bolivia
are people who are born, grow up, live, work
and pass from earth just as do civilized people
anywhere in the world But this simple fact, it
would seem, is as yet unknown in the United
States.
Aside from certain psychological differences,
due to his Latin descent, the Bolivian citizen
lives and works just as does the citizen Of the
United States. He is educated under like,
though not identical, systems Of instruction;
plays his part in similar, though more
passionate and complex, political activities, and
undertakes the same business Of professional
work that North Americans undertake at home
and abroad.
From among these white people of Bolivia
have come men prominent in the political and
cultural life of Latin America-idealists and
martyrs in the cause Of independence like
Murillo, generals and triumphant leaders like
Santa Cruz and Ballivian, honored statesmen
like Ldnares and Campero famous orators like
YNS~ GOLD
renowned poets like James Freyre and indus
trial millionaires like Patino, who today is the
richest man in South America.
Bolivian women have two outstanding EXAM
pies shining with peculiar brilliance in history,
present inspirations to the women of our
day who, although they have not yet attained
to the complete emancipation and economic
independence enjoyed by their sisters of this
country are sharing more and more In the
public activities Of the nation. The first was
Juana Azurduy de Padilla, soldier in the
army of independence. She commanded troops
for IL years and to the rank of colonel,
winning many victories on the field OF battle,
and leaving an irnperishabe record of insuper-
able heroism and patriotic sacrifice The second
is Adela Zamudio, great poetess and writer OF
Bolivia of continental fame, for whose corona
ton in 1927 master of poesy the President
of Bolivia went personally from La Paz to Sucre,
her home, accompanied by numerous party, to
place golden crown upon the brow of the great
htterateur.
IT goes without saying that Balivian cities
= have all the improvements and essential COM
forts that civilized people have in any other part
Of the globe Some North Americans find it hard
to believe that in any place 20 days journey
from the United States there are automobiles,
street cars, telephones, electric light, and even
radios La Paz, the seat of the Bolivian gov
eminent was the first city in South America
10 install electric light service. The mail and