Evening star., 1933-05-21
BY GASTON NERvAL.

- PECIAL representatives from sew
eral Latin American countries
have been in the past few days,
. or are at present. in Washington
discussing economic and COM
mercial matters with officials OF the
United States Government.
Following invitations by President
Roosevelt, which they were more than
glad to accept, some OF the larger
southern nations have sent specially
appointed delegates to the White House
conversations preliminary to the World
Economic Conference in London, Others
have asked their permanent diplomatic
representatives in Washington to take
on this additional work.
The Argentine mission. headed by DR..
Tomas LIE Breton. foremost Argentine
statesman and economist and Argentine
Ambassador Espil; the Mexican mission,
presided over by DR.. Alberto J. Pani.
Mexican minister of finance; the Bra
lillian delegation, the ones from Chile,
Peru, Cuba, Ecuador. etc. have ap-
peared in succession at the welcoming
gates of the White House.
Two Results Expected.
Out of these unusual conversations
cne more link in the chain of precedent
breaking moves characteristic of the
new administration-two positive results
are expected:
First, the suggestion Of reciprocal BIZ
lateral tariff arrangements and other
commercial accords designed to alleviate
the plight of inter- American trade; and,
Second.-Agreement or coordination
OF views on the principal topics to
be discussed at the London World
Epno0y,ia
that the American republics may be
spared the embarrassment of supporting
at London conflicting opinions on
subjects of common interest to the
Western Hemisphere at large
The spectacle of these foreign mis-
SONS coming to Washington in search
of better economic understanding
gives testimony to the fact that. with
the change of governmental regimes,
real departure in the external policies
of the United States and in its tradi-
tional attitude toward the rest of the
world has taken place since March 4
a departure almost as radical as that
introduced with astounding swiftness
in domestic administrative matters.
A new era" is. evidently, here. The
term has been so frequently used, rather
SO miSused. before by diplomats and
empty-handed goodwill emissaries that
it has lost much of its lure. Yet, this
time it seems that the new era" is
at last going to be taken out of subtlely
worded diplomatic speeches and after
dinner toasts and actually translated
into deeds
Situations Compared.
At least, all indications support this
hope. Compare this picture of foreign
tofi iy, 10
ton the terms of new deal" in ecc-
nomic relationships with that of only
two years ago when members of th-
International Chamber of Commerce
gathered in Washington and spent
most of their meeting in a hopeless
denunciation of high tariffs and trade
barriers in the midst of poorly con-
cealed disapproval from Government
quarters and almost open hostility
from the larger section Of the press.
Or compare it with that other pic
ture, few weeks later, when the former
Argentine Ambassador. Senor Malbran,
practically exchanged his post in Wash
ington for a frank, forceful criticism of
highly protective-prohibitory, he called
them-tariffs of this country, speaking
before the New York convention of the
National Foreign Trade Council. Pre-
eign governments, various Latin Amer
ican ones among them, had been re-
ceived at the State Department for the
enactment of the Hawley-Smoot tariff
act, and had been filed.
Or compare it with the picture of the
Fourth Pan-American Commercial Con-
ference, also held in Washington in
October Of that year, denouncing high
tariffs in low tones, out of respect for
the hospitality of the Government
which was its host and whose protective
policies were well known. And finally
substituting an ambiguous, mild recon-
mendation, suggesting indefinite tariff
concessions in the future. for a prac-
tical, specific two-year tariff truce pro-
posed by some unsuspecting or ''un-
coached" young delegate.
Latins Were Resentful
The resentment created throughout
Latin America by the high rates of the
Hawley-Smoot tariff was already wide
spread. Their effects we're already in
evidence. Economists on both sides of
the Rio Grande were decrying the ex-
isting conditions and predicting catas-