Evening star., 1932-10-30

the Improvement in inter.
~ American relations which the
present administration has
brought about. In connection with this
probably one of the ma jor achievements
of the Republican regime, the Latin
American goodwill tour Of President
elect Hoover is invariably mentioned. In
fact it is said to have been the stepping
stone to new era of pan American
understanding. the appearance and
growth Of which we have been witness
ing during the last four years. Which
of the southern nations did the Hoover
pre-inaugural tour include, and what
good did it accomplish, if any. in the
promotion of a closer inter- American
harmony"
Thus writes a distinguished reader,
professor of economics, who has lately
been streSSing the fact that the future
of the foreign trade of this country lies
south of the Rio Grarde
The quest is an easy one to answer.
1t was just about this time four years
ago-when Herbert Hoover was elected
President of the United States and an
nounced his Latin American goodwill
tOur-that I began this weekly column
of Interpretation of interAmerican af-
fairs. All l have to do. therefore, is to
look over my files and refresh my read
erS memory with the comments l then
made upon reporting the President
elects successful Latin American trip.
Sought TO End Misunderstanding.
At this particular moment such COM
rlents might not be untimely.
The principal purpose of the tour. as
stated by Mr. Hoover. was to give the
Latin Americans demonstration OF
frlendlinesS. acknowledging their grow
ing economic Importance to the United
States ard trying to dissipate certain
political misunderstanding which stood
In the way of closer cooperation.
Mr. Hoover knew that charges of
United States imperialism. growing out
of past errors and misapprehensions,
had constituted the greatest hindrance.
So. in practically all of his SpPecneS
during the Southern trip the Ercsl-
dent-eIect emphasized the desire Of the
United States to treat the Latin le-
publics with the greatest sense CT
equality and with due respect TO their
sovereignty as independent nations.
All Held Sovereign.
IN America" he declared. mo dis
crimnatory political division is made
of the States which form the Cont
nent-they are all equally free and in
dependent and receive the respect
which is deserved by a great SOW
ereignty" He added hat the United
States was opposed to interfering with
the internal affairs of neighboring
countries and that his administration
would do its utmost. thenceforth. TO
put an end to the policy of nterven-
tons
These declarations. coming from the
elected Chief Executive of the great
Northern Nation" aroused considerable
interest and enthusiasm throughout
Latin America. They compared very
favorably with the utteranceS of previ-
Gus Presidents and other statesmen Of
this country who believed in the policy
of the big stick and in the paternalistic
role reserved to the United States in
bringing up the Backward nations CT
the South.
In Amapala, Honduras, Mr. Hoover
delivered the first address of his un
official trip. In it he outlined the aims
of his visit to Latin America and eX-
pounded the political and economic
reasons which had prompted him to
undertake that mission of good will
The Honduran press, in commenting
upon his remarks, unanimously eX-
pressed the opinion that the dis
tinguished visitor would conquer many
hearts in Latin America"
Sicaraguan Visit Significant.
On the same day Mr.. Hoover made
similar declarations in La Union,
Salvadorian port, abounding in eX-
pressions of friendship toward the Gen.
trail American republics and praising
the period of peace, internal and eX
ternal, which they were enjoying.
Mr.. Hoover's visit to Nicaragua was
far more significant and interesting. 1t
was made but several weeks after the
completion of the presidential elections
supervised bv the United States. and at
a time when the Marines and the Off
cial representatives Of the Coolidge ad
miniStration were still on Nicaraguan
soil. in a state of Intervention. The
Nicaraguan government and the Mica
raguan press relieved the embarrassing
situation by forgetting for the moment
the political principles at stake, and
stressing only the material benefits
which the United States intervention
had meant to them, restoring domestic
peace and permitting the first free and
fair elections they had seen for many
years
AS a consequence there was not
single hostile demonstration. as it had
been feared. against the presence in
Nicaragua of the future Chief Executive
of the Nation whose military forces we're
still there On the contrary public
enthusiasm was so great and Mr.. Hoover
received such a cordial welcome that
the Managua press concluded that the
people of Nicaragua were satisfied with
the policies of the United States.
Asked Vote Supervision.
This conviction was furthered when
the two rival Nicaraguan political par
ties took the opportunity Of Mr.. Hoo
ver's visit to make joint and public
declaration expressing their wishes to
have the Marine forces remain several
months longer and requesting that the
next presidential election, four years
hence, be again supervised by Uncle
Sam.
In Costa Rica Mr. Hoover. in a short
but most eloquent address, lauded the
progress and culture of that small Gen.
tral American republic which, in spite
of her small population and reduced
territorial area. kept the pace of demo-
cratic maturity in the Caribbean re-
giOn.
Ecuador was the first South American
republic to receive Mr.. Hoover. IN
Guavauuil, the principal Ecuadorean
mort the PreSident-eleCt gave free
thought to his feelings and openly dis
c,lSsed the accusations of imperialism
made against the United States. True
democracy is not and cannot be i'm
nerialistic," he emphatically declared
and then proceeded to make lengthy
review of the origin and propagation of
those charges. He concluded by stress
ing the advantages which would be de-
rived by all "if the unselfish designs OF
the United States, which has no terri.
torial ambitions. were fully recognized
Peru Was Enthusiastic.
The first really elaborate reception
accorded Mr.. Hoover was in Lima the
Peruvian capital. the historical city OF
the Kings" Peru had been tradl-
tionally very friendly toward the United
States. And since the accession to
power of President Dictator Leguia, the
Peruvian government had taken pains