Evening star., 1933-08-27
Uncle Sam and Latin America
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! OAO1C Od1u d1lV
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ers, it became the opinion of Latin
America-an opinion fostered and otter
unconsciously inspired by the pacifists
and other Sentimeptalists in the United
States-to condemn their use In al
cases.
It Is difficult to justify the invasion
OF Vera Cruz. since that was direct
interference in the political affairs of q
sister country. There are those who
decry the use of marines in Haiti, al
though this was clearly only for the
purposes Of restoring order after q
particularly brutal outbreak and to pre-
vent possible European Intervention. Nc
right-minded citizen should disapprove
the temporary landing Of marines to
| protect American lives. Certainly nc
one should attempt to brand as ''im-
perialiStic" the loan of marines at the
request Of a friendly Government to
maintain order during period of re-
habilitation, unless he goes so far as to
refuse all assistance to a neighbor. In
| trouble. 1t is both ignorant and dis
loyal to lump together all the cases
where marines have been employed. and
| then to condemn them all. One has
only to read Henry L. Stimson's ad-
| m1rable little book on Nicaragua to
| realize what assistance the United
| States has given that country, which
as a result OF American advice is in
better position financially than most
@@her nations Of the world.
But international relations cannot be
| based solely on facts. A government
| must take sentiment into account: must
recognize the Importance Of appear
ances in causing human reactions; must
| admit the existence Of prejudice which
easily develops into fanaticism Be-
cause Of this it must act with extreme
caution and, in such matters as the
landing of marines, very rarely, and
even then only when the necessity /,
! clearly apparent to every one Cen
| orally, because Of lack Of care as to
appearances there had been permitted
to grow up in Latin America a distrust
Of the United States which In some
instances has amounted to q blind
hatred.
Attitude Of America,
America appeared not only willing but
eager to intrude with advice or un-
requested assistance In the affairs OF
our friends south Of Mexico. The obli-
cations imposed on the United States
/ because of the canal were ignored or
minimiZed or referred to as only q thin
excuse for imperialism. Proper American
insistence on the rights Of its citizens
everywhere was called economic i'm
perialism." 1t was knowledge OF these
conditions, caused almost wholly by
misunderstanding which induced Her.
bert Hoover to make his South Ameri-
can trip.
1t Is undeniable that this voyage ini-
tiated new era in our relations with
Latin America. 1t is true that we had
shown, through our active participation
in successive American confer
ences, our paramount interest in Latin
America, but even in these conferences
those who were suspicious Of our mo-
tives pretended to see the big stick
Mr.. Hoovers trip could have no other
Interpretation than that of a friendly
gesture toward nations with which we
wished to work in harmony. with which
We telt our own future to be inextric-
ably bound. 1t was proof Of our friend
ship, and Mr.. Hoover's speeches showed
that we meant to live with our Latin
American neighbors as a friend, not as
an often unduly censorious tutor. Mr.
Hoovers acts as President, moreover,
proved the sincerity Of what he said.
He took care Of appearances as well
as Of the facts on which appearances
were based.
Mr.. Hoover sent a commission to
Haiti to study the best method of ac-
celebrating American evacuation so that
all American, forces should be with
drawn even before the expiration of
the treaty. and the recommendations
OF the commission were acted on
promptly. He made it clear to Nicar-
aqua that although Marines were there
at the request of the Nicaraguan gov
ernment, they were there to be used
only in the training of an efficient
guard and must be completely with
drawn after the elections. The United
States, furthermore, had promised to
supervise the elections. That promise
was fulfilled and thereafter all troops
were returned to the United States.
When fighting started in the Chaco
settlement was taken in hand not
by the United States alone, but by the
United States acting in concert with
other South American nations; nor did
the "neutrals," as they were called. re-
pei the good Offices of the League of
Nations When war was imminent be-
tween Colombia and Peru. America,
along with other nations, did what it
could TO bring the two together, but
there was never any thought Of sending
troops or ships. BY that time, more
over, we were all bound by the post
war treaties, with their equal obliga-
| tions. Latin Americans, except those
individuals who suffer from an inferi-
ority complex and, therefore, because
America is a great country, read sinis-
ter designs into its most friendly and
alturistic acts. are beginning to under
stand that the United States is not
imperialistic; that it desires only to live
with them on friendly terms; that it