Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-02-22
TWO FRIENDLY MOVES.

.TWICE within week the United
States has taken steps to gain
the good will of the Latin ApneT-
leans. A few days ago. before
the Council on Foreign Rela-
tions. Secretary StimSon delivered an
address explaining the policies Of the
State Department toward Latin Amer
lea, In which he endeavored to remove
suspicious still existing among the
neighboring young republics to the south.
To this end he used two chief argu-
ments. He justified the policy as to
recognition of new governments in
Latin America, which has several times
been put to a test during the last IL
months, and he gave an Interpretation
of the Monroe Doctrine entirely favor
able to the Latin American and one
certainly different from that which, by
INSTRUMENTATION, has been predomi-
nant down on the other side OF the Ric
Grande.
only a few days after Secretary Slim
sons address had been broadcast and
cabled throughout the continent con-
veying a message of good will and
friendship. the State Department issued
communique announcing that the Ma
rines will be withdrawn from Nicaragua
beginning next June. By 1882, after
the presidential elections of that year
the last Marine is expected to be back
in the United States.
This announcement, following so
closely the friendly words Of Secretary
Stimson, bears unusual significance.
The Nicaraguan situation has for some
time been the sore spot Of inter-Ameri-
can relations Whenever diplomatic
phrases of friendship and good will have
been expressed by representatives OF
Uncle Sam the latter were reminded
by certain Latin Americans of the pres
ence of several hundred "bluejackets'
in the little Central American republic.
BIDDING FOR GOOD WILL.
Since President Hoover was inaugu-
rated, in 1929, a favorable change was
expected in the policies of the United
States toward her Latin American sis
tiers. This change was clearly forecast
by the President-elect's unofficial tour
of South America, which was termed
by the press of the continent the
stepping stone" to q new Pan-Ameri-
can understanding.
Later on the Hoover administration
has shown its interest in promoting
better relations with the Latin Ameri-
can governments by sending down as
Ambassadors and Ministers the best
qualified men in, and outside, the dip
lomatic service: by doing its best tC
increase mutual trade and economic
links; by helping the development OF
cultural interchange, and by emphasiz-
ing, in general, the value Of inter Amer
lean relationships.
Under these circumstances, the two
latest moves of the State Department
should surprise NOBODY. 1t so happens
however, that they come at a time wher
the big European powers are engaged
in a strenuous race for the conquest Of
the Latin American markets, and thi.
adds to the material importance o.
such steps.
That commercial ties and moral sym.
| pathies are closely connected is only
| natural in this economically and finan.
cially controlled age of ours. Politica
| principles are no longer the determin'
! ing factor in international relations
| They are more or less a consequence
| of economic laws and conditions. Eu
! ropean statesmen have so understood
conditions, and, approaching the value
/ Of that immense market which extend;
! from the Rio Grande to the Straits O
Magellan, they are out to win the gooC
will of the Latin Americans and thu
commercial benefits that go with it.
Great Britains chief salesman is a
present touring the Southern republics
selling Britain's friendship and British
| goods. He will inaugurate next month
in BuenoS Aires huge Empire Trad
| Exhibition. which Is expected to Civ
back to the island empire its lost com
mercial leadership in the Western
| Hemisphere.
Only a few weeks ago italy sent II
Of her planes across the Atlantic in TIT
first long-distance flight of its kind
CARRYING down to the Brazilian Shore
Mussolini's plans for italian CONNER
cial expansion cloaked in the smoke o
their engines. Signor Mussolini statet
that the flight would show South Amer
leans the proficiency of Italian enter
prise and the power of Italian indus
trial development"
Germany and France also hav
lately sent missions of good will acros
the ocean and have increased the mum
Der of their commercial agents in tn
other Americas.
LATIN AMERICAN APPLAUSE.
Whether the latest attitude of tn
State Department will have a bearin
on the commercial relations of Uncl
Sam and the Latin American nations
and most likely 1t Willis politics
consequences can already be ascertaine
from the editorial comments of leadin
Latin American newspapers, which tn
cables have transmitted from thousand
of miles away.
AS for Secretary Stimson's declara
tions, they have been received wit
widespread applause, although the
gave opportunity for certain skeptica
commentators to emphasize once NOR
the necessity of complementing ther
with actual facts. Actions Spea
louder than words said these, althoug
they, too, admitted that the statement
Of Secretary StimSon were in them
selves a considerable advance over tn
Indifferent and closed-to-criticism at
titude Of yesterday.
Even Argentine papers, which hav
always been the severest critics Z
American policies IN the continent, d.