Evening star., 1933-11-26
By GASTON NERvAL.

DI OAO 1ON NEhtAG.
TN MATTERS of world politics 1t
has been more and more evident
in recent times that the Latin
i American governments are willing
TO follow the lead of the United
States. When this country joined the
side Of the allied powers in the World
War, most Of the Latin American
governments broke of diplomatic re-
lations with the enemy of the United
States and some Of them even went as
far as declaring war against Imperial
Germany. More recently, when the
Washington Government took decided
stand against the Manchurian adven-
ture Of the Japanese Army, and called
the attention of the Japanese leaders
to certain treaties and international
obligations which we're being ignored,
it found itself enthusiastically sup
ported by officials and public opinion
across the Rio Grande The Latin
Americans, who had more reason than
anybody else to dislike interventions
and territorial transgressions, eagerly
aligned themselves with the United
States and it was largely due to their
efforts at Geneva that the League of
Nations finally went on record as con-
demning the Japanese course in the
Far East.
Recognition Up.
Now that another important innova-
ton in the foreign policy Of the United
States has been brought about-the
recognition of Soviet Russia-which
modifies the political picture Of the
world. is Latin America going to fol-
low, again, the lead of Washington?
Or is Latin America going to persist in
keeping her eyes closed and denying
the existence of government
matter how different from hers-whose
stability has stood the test of l6 years
of almost worldwide opposition?
Uruguay and Mexico, two Latin
American republics which have for
years distinguished themselves for
their liberal ideas and progressive leg
islation, were among the first to recog-
nize Soviet Russia, long before the pos
sibilities Of Russian recognition were
even considered seriously in the United
States, although Mexico later on, sew
cred displomatic relations with the
Soviet government because of alleged
Communist propaganda.
This fear of Communist propaganda,
this suspicion that the Soviet diplo-
matte ard consuar agents might use
their influence in spreading bolshevism
and bringing about proletarian revo-
luton, has been, precisely, the chief
objection to Russian recognition In
Latin America.
Fear Once Justified.
At one time, when Leninism was
tantamount to world revolution and the
Soviet authorities openly backed the
Third International in its struggle
against the capitalstic regimes of all
lands, such fear might have been JUS
titled Particularly so in some OF the
can republics, where loyal govern
ments would have had dificulty IN
preventing such propaganda and where
the masses could have been easily in
fluenced by revolutionary ideas
But now that the Soviet government
has completely abandoned its goal OF
world revolution and has substituted
for it a policy of live and let live; now
that the Soviet government has chosen
the road of national communism In
stead of world communism and 1t Is
infinitely more concerned with the m
ternal upbuilding of Russia than with
the overthrow Of capitalism abroad. the
fear of Communist propaganda by So
Wet officials has dwindled, even in the
smaller Latin American countries, to
what 1t was until recently In the
United States: A nightmare OF reac-
tionaries and conservatives out OF step
with the times.
ment Is SO thoroughly engaged today In
the construction Of the new Russia and
the industrialiZation of the country
in record time, and it realizes so fully
that external peace is essential TO the
fulfillment Of these plans. that 1t not
only has reversed its previous tactics
of world propaganda for revolutionary
communism, but it has, also, become
one OF the most consistent advocates
Of international peace
Sincerity Beyond Doubt.
The sincerity of Soviet RuSsia's peace
intentions is beyond doubt. Ethically,
the Soviet leaders have to be, OF ne
cessity, pacifists. They are individual
" against war. They proved it so by
refusing to carry on the war against
the central powers when they assumed
the reins Of government in Russia
More materially speaking, from the
point of view Of practical considera-
tions, they also have to be paclf1sts.
External complications would at the
present time hinder tremendously the
great experiment at home. 1t Is this
dual pacifism-idealistic and practl-
cal-which has placed Soviet Russia
on the vanguard of the peace move
ment of the world The feat of For
eign Commissar Litvinof during the
London conference in signing eight
non-aggression pacts with Soviet Rus
sia's principal neighbors is still fresh
in the memory Of newspaper readers.
How, then, can the Latin American
governments any longer fear the con-
sequences of diplomatic intercourse