Evening star., 1933-01-08
BY GASTON NERvAL.
S the new year begins two great

~ conflicting forces are at work
a throughout the world-interna-
Il tional cooperation and nation
alism. The pace of both has
been accelerated by the worldwide
economic depression. This continued
clash will be the paramount world issue
OF 1888, as it was that of the year just
ended.
International cooperation, the need
for which has been stressed by the eco
nomic crisis, is represented by the COM
bined peace efforts of the leading world
powers, the activities of the League of
Nations the Geneva and Lausanne
agreements. the disarmament move
ment, the thcoming World Economic
Conference, the agitation for the low
ering of customs tariffs and adjustment
Of intergovernrental debts. etc.
Blocking the advance of this construc-
tive tendency is the spirit Of national
ism, also aroused by material needs and
dlsarrangements growing out of the
depression, and easily carried to ex-
tremes in a period of discomfort and
political effervescence such as the
present. Outstanding instances of ma
tlonaIlstlc outburSts are today the Sino-
Japanese crisis in Manchuria, the re-
vival Of the junker spirit in Germany,
the militant mood of the Central Euro
pean states, the Polish corridor feud,
the debt defaults, excessive ornaments.
high tariff walls, bitter commercial
rivalry among nations, etc.
Clash in Latin America.
In Latin America, too, as in the world
at large, the major problem facing the
new year is the clash of those two
opposing forces. International CO.
operation is represented in that par
ticular region by the efforts of many
American republics to stop belligerent
activities in the Chaco and the Leticia
conflicts; by their endeavorS to inau-
gurSte a new era in ter-American
relations, with more respect for the
sovereignty of the small Caribbean
states and a greater equality among
nations; by the attempts to conclude
aggression pacts and economic
agreements for the abolition of tariffs
by the elimination Of causes fomenting
Ill will, as foreign Intervention with
domestic affairs, non-recognition of
revolutionary governments, forcible COL
lection OF national debts and other
mistaken policies of earlier years.
On the other hand, nationalism is
present, and very much so-in the
Chaco and the Leticia controversies,
where the peace of half of South Amer
lca is involved: in the anti-religious
campaign in Mexico; in the Leftist
movements in Chile, Argentina, Uruguay,
Costa Rica and Ecuador, and in the
tariff war which has been raging in
that part of the world for the past two
years.
So much for the international out
look Internally the same problem
appears in nearly all the Latin -Ameri-
can countries, although in this case the
clash is between national co-operation
and the interests and ambitions of
party groups. Here, too, the economic
depression has made the clash more
acute, stressing on the one hand the
need for national cooperation, but in
tens1tying on the other personal pas
sions and political intolerance.
1t Is impossible to predict what 1888
hss in store for the Latin republics
south of the Rio Grande Only last
week pointed out how in 1882 almost
twice as many presidential Inaugural
tlonS as were scheduled took place. But
as the first leaf Of the new year Is
turned a glance at the political horizon
may reveal at work in almost every one
OF the Latin American countries those
ternal sense may be known as inter-
national cooperation and nationalisn,
and IN an internal one as national CO.
operation and party struggle.
Faces Three Problems.
In Mexico the recently inaugurated
government of Gen. Rodriguez. who was
appointed to complete the term of re-
signing President Ortiz Rubio, is facing
three major problems in the solution
OF the anti-religious campaign, the re-
preston of radical movements in GER
tain OF the states, and the preparation
OF the coming presidential campaign,
winch Is usually preceded by domestic
unrest.
Guatemala and Honduras are both
awaiting eagerly the arbitral award of
the Washington boundary tribunal
which is to decide in a few days the
tate OF a large territory claimed for
years by the two countries. The award
Is naturally expected to stimulate ma
tionalistic sentiments
Besides. one of the two countries.
Honduras, is just coming out of an
internal crisis. The rebellion which
followed the November presidential
election was only last week reported
completely defeated. Next month the
relns of government must be turned
over to the party victor in the cleo
ton, which is also the opposition party.
In Nicaragua, though new regime
was 1naugurated orderly on the first
DAY OF the year after a peaceful and
falr election, and though the presence
OF DR.. Juan B. SacaSa as its head is a
guaranty of national cooperation and
administrative efficiency, a group OF
rebels is still in arms in the mountains
of Nueva Segovia, under the leader
ship Of Gen. Sandino As President
Sacasa stated in his inaugural address,
the major task of his government will
be to restore complete domestic peace,
and this task has now been made more
difficult by the withdrawal of the last
United States Marines remaining on