Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-05-11

Senators in Ecuador. In this way the
control Of one-half Of the Legislature
will be shifted from the hands of poll
ticians to those of technical and pro-
feSsional men.
The new Ecuadorean constitution
which provides for this legislative re.
form now in operation is the thirteenth
to be adopted since Ecuador became ar
independent state in 1880 upon hel
separation from the Republic of Great
Colombia, founded by the liberatol
ceased in South America. All the
been liberal and advanced. AS long age
as the middle of the last century the
fundamental charter of Ecuador con-
tanned precepts which ionly recently
have been included in those of other
American and European nations.
Other Reforms Established.
Among other outstanding reforms
which the new constitution establishes
it is interesting to note the following
Property rights are recognized as
social utilities" which not only afford
benefits and rights, but also impose
duties and obligations toward others,
thus tending toward the subordination
of individual liberty to higher needs OF
q social character. Ecuadorean women
are granted all the liberties and privi-
legeS OF the stronger SEX" possessing
political and civil rights. the right to
vote, and being protected by the most
advanced legal provisions for "seX
equality" Divorce laws are sanctioned
in their most absolute and liberal sense
provision being made for the consent
divorce, simply upon petition of the two
parties, without formal proceedings OF
any kind, the sole requisite being that
the consent of both be declared before
the courts Of first, second and third
many important steps in advance that
Ecuador Is taking in the field of poll
tics and social legislation.
In previous articles of this series we
have already taken up some Of the most
interesting Latin American nations.
We have seen how romantic Peru, the
ancient Inca empire, Is being converted
into one of the strongest Latin Ameri-
can states, how aviation is bringing the
wings Of progress to Colombia, how pic
turesque Bolivia is developing her mar
velous mineral resources, how small
Uruguay Is giving an example of politi-
cal stability and organization to the
world, how In. Cuba two distinct civili-
cations, the Latin and the Saxon, are
meeting and combining, as in chemi-
cal process.
Ecuador geographically is one of the
smallest states of South America. It Is
hard to state exactly her territorial ex-
tension. because the boundaries with
Colombia and Peru, her two principal
neighhors, have not been settled def
nitely. The controversy over the boun-
Diary with Peru especially involves some
hundred thousand square miles Of ter
ritory. Official United States figures
credit the country with an area Of
approximately 10000 square miles,
about that of italy and a little less than
that of New Mexico in this country.
According to unofficial figures. more
or less two million people form the
population of Ecuador, Of which large
percentage is of Indian blood or mixed
Indian and Spanish descent. The po-
litical control of the country. however,
remains in the hands of the white and
of a small portion of the mestizo popu-
lation.
The principal natural resources of
Ecuador are agricultural. The major
source Of wealth the past has been
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