Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-01-25
In LATIN AMERICA
By CASTON NERYAL.

only 500 men, while her school teachers
will number more than 1000
In this century of materialistic
views, when all the nations on earth
seem to be engaged in a free-for-all
race for ornaments and soldiers, the
example of Costa Rica stands out by
itself. Very few countries in this tur-
bulent world of ours could boast of a
similar record, in spite of their loud
spoken and repeated pacifist intentions.
In Latin America, as l have often
said, the countries which are smaller
geographically and economically seem
to be destined to have a greater Gull
tural and political development. Uru-
quay in the South and Costa Rica in
the Caribbean region are two outStand-
ing instances of this phenomenon. Both
nations have been leading the way for
their Latin American sisters in social
institutions, domestic legislation and
educational methods for number of
years.
Uruguay, the smallest South Ameri-
can republic, has the most perfected
political organization in the New World.
And Costa Rica has often given new
assurances of her social and political
maturity, like this one, which the Amer
lean press refers to as "commendable
example of sincere disarmament"
Truly, if the majority of civilized
nations adopted Costa Ricas attitude,
the worlds chief problem would be
nearer to solution than ever in the his
tory of mankind. Only when the men
on the teachers benches outnumber
those quartered in barracks may the
specter OF war be expected to fade away.
BALLOTS INSTEAD OF BULLETS.
Almost simultaneously with that an
nouncement from Costa RIGA came a
different one from another Central
American republic. Ell Salvador. On the
eve Of presidential elections the gov
eminent decreed general disarmament
throughout the country, meaning by this
that guns, revolvers, knives and all
other lethal weapons in the possession
OF individuals be turned over to the
police authorities until the election con-
test was over.
In this way, the report continued, the
government expected to be able to do
away with the turbulent spirit of the
voters and enjoy tranquil and peaceful
elections. The mere adoption of these
measures gives clear idea of what the
widespread possession of arms by pri-
vate citizens has come to amount to in
certain Southern lands. Probably kept
revolutionary struggles, these danger
Gus weapons become especially so in
election times.
The method adopted by the Saliva
dorian government to prevent shooting
from interfering in the countrys do
meStic politics Is not entirely new
Thirty-five Mexican policemen entered
the state capitol of Chihuahua some
time ago and disarmed all the members
of that honorable legislative body and
a good number of people IN the galleries
who carried the latest style guns on
their hips.
All government officials, members of
Congress and political leaders are we'll
protected in Mexico against possible
very poSsible-unpleasant surprises from
their enemies. Shot-bssprinkled cpl
Sodes are nothing unusual in Mexican
legislative halls. To avoid the repeti-
ton of these frequent displays of pas
sion the Chihuahua authorities decided
to decree the confiscation of arms and
means of combat" at the Inaugural
ton of the annual state legislative SEES
sion.
I said at that time that 1 doubted
IL domestic disarmament had more
probabilities of success in Mexico than
international disarmament had so far
had in the rest of the world, for MeXi-
can elections without bullets would be
almost as strange as American cleo
tons without ballots. 1t remains now
to be seen if this is also the case with
Salvador.
(CopyriEht 1871