Evening star., 1933-04-09
sPAN.AMERICAN DAY" FINDS
LATINS SURE OF NEW DEAL
Next Fridays Celebrants Envision Opera.
ton of Policy of ''The Good
Neighbour

ica-except the Buenos Aires leaders
who disliked Bolivars growing infiu-
ence-thought of mysterious designs, OF
evil intentions, of imperialistic ambi-
tions hidden behind the name of pam
Americanism. Nobody thought. then.
OF any OF the nations on this continent
using the pan-Ar lerican scheme rpr
furthering their own interests to the
detriment of those of others.
Years Gte'. however, when the
statesmen of the North rescued the PAN
American idea from oblivion and undes-
took to carry 1t out-though not before
having dep. ived it of its contractual,
obligatory features-the lack of under
standing of the purposes of the United
States resulted in a sentiment of fear
and suspicion on the part Of the Latin
republics.
Afraid Of Disprcportion.
The Latin Americans became afraid
OF the enormous disproportion in po-
tential resources and economic strength
between the United States and the still
scarcely organized states Of Latin origin.
Such diSproportion was more appar-
ent and more dangerous in a free as
sociation like the one suggested by
Uncle Sam, without political COM
pact, with no rules, no duties and no
specified rights, and in which every
one of the Southern republics had to
stand by itself beside the colossus Of
the North
They could not understand, more
over, the sudden enthusiasm Of the
United States for pan-Americanism.
except on the supposition that it yelled
designs on her part for obtaining po-
ftical domination, or, at least, fnan-
sial control, over the rest Of the con-
tinent. The War with Mexico had left
bitter memories.
This misunderstanding was later in.
creased by certain mistaken policies OF
the United States in the Caribbean
region, by the distortion and misuse Of
the Monroe Doctrine. by the paternal-
istic attitude followed from Cleveland
to Coolidge, by the so-called dollar
diplomacy" and others which until not
long ago were well-known features Of
the Latin American policy Of the State
Department.
In recent years, it is true. much Of
this suspicion and resentment has dis
appeared, particularly since the Hoover
Stimson policy of non intervention and
greater respect for the sovereignty Of
the smaller Latin American countries
came into being, the old legend Of
Yankee Imperialism" has been giving
way in Latin America to new conf
dence and new hopes. But. of course,
there still remains much to be accom-
plished in this respect. The misun-
derstandings of three decades cannot be
undone in three years.
Prospects Brighter.
Yet the prospects for the future, as
far as relations between the two Amer
icaS are concerned, seem brighter to-
day. The President of the United
States has just dedicated this Nation
to the policy of the good neighbor-
the neighbor who respects himself and
because he does so respects the rights
of others"-and Latin Americans in
terpret this as a promise that the policy
of non-intervention and Of friendly CO.
operation toward them, recently in
augurated, will be continued. They are
confident Of the new deal" IN inter-
American relations.
Clearly, the trend of the Latin-Amer-
lean policy of the United States has
been, for the past few years, one OF de-
parture from the wrong policies OF the
past and Of closer and clear approxima-
ton to the ideals set forth by former
Secretary of State Elihu Root IN his
visit to Rio de Janeiro In 1905, when he
declared: "a tf
I'VE wish for no victories but those
of peace; for no territory except our
own; for no sovereignty except sover-
eighty over ourselves. We deem the
independence and equal rights Of the
smallest and weakest member OF the
family of nations entitled to as much
respect as those of the greatest empire
We neither claim nor desire any
rights or privileges or powers that we
do not freely concede to every Amer
lean republic. We wish to increase our
prosperity, to expand our trade, to
grow in wealth, in wisdom and In spirit;
but our conception of the true way TO
accomplish this is not to pull down 9TH
ers and profit by their ruin, but to help
all friends to a common prosperity and
a common growth, that We may all be-
come greater and stronger together"
Certainly, if these ideals are lived up
to-and the policy Of the good neigh
bor'' promises just that-no one should
worry about the fate Of inter- American
relations If the Root creed Is adhered
to, all misunderstanding and suspicious
still remaining should eventually van
ish, as ethical considerations take the
reins away from selfish material inter.
eSts.
And once they have, who can say that
we shall not then be\ready for the real,
ultimate, pan-Americanism, of equal
rights and mutual obligations-the pam
Americanism which Simon Bolivar
dreamed of, while his conquering armies
were creating one South American re-
public at the seat Of each high Andean
peak?
(Copyright. 1882