Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1936-11-15
LATIN AMERICANS HAIL
TRIUMPH OF ROOSEVELT
See His Victory as Evidence Vox Populi
Still Is Supreme-Call Success
Boon for World Democracy.

from the southern foreign OfnceS. II
is, however, the most important part,
for behind it are not only the po-
litical interests of international
diplomacy, but the ideals and aSpira-
lions of millions Of men and women
in Latin America who have pinned
their hopes for the future in the
final victory of democracy over the
world.
In such troublesome and uncertain
times as these. when the breakdown
OF democratic forms Of government
is openly hailed by powerful leaders
abroad, when reactionary forces are
at work everywhere trying to dis
credit and destroy the tenets of social
justice and erecting artificial barriers
to the progress of the human mind,
when liberal institutions are being
swept aside by the passions Of few
egomaniacs or the greed and ambitions
of a few vested interests, the new gen.
erations of Latin America, nurtured
in ideals of freedom and social equal
ity, were waiting for just such q
demonstration of democratic vitality
and self-respect as the one which the
people Of the United States gave No
vember 8.
A free presidential contest in itself
is q novelty nowadays. When the
contest takes place in q country Of
nearly 100000 people, with more
than one-third of them going to the
polls voluntarily, peacefully, without
the threat Of concentration camps,
political vendettas or class antago-
nisms, the novelty is enhanced. When
those forty-some millions OF free
voters express their preference, by an
overwhelming majority. for the man
who has been attacked by the most
powerful interests throughout the
land and elect him over the wishes
and frenzied efforts Of the same groups
which have silenced the common peo-
pie in so many foreign parts. the nov
city acquires significance the world
cannot afford to overlook.
See vox Populi Supreme.
The lesson which Latin America
learns from the unprecedented victory
obtained at the polls by President
Roosevelt Is that. In this country at
least. vox populi Is still supreme. In
Europe the outcome Of the election
has been eolored. interpreted accord
ing to the political philosophy in vogue
in each country, which Is. Of course,
that dictated by each particular gov
eminent, but for the public opinion of
Latin America the meaning Is unmis-
taxable.
The new generations Of Latin Amer
lea had been looking forward to this
presidential election in the United
States as sort Of political test. The
defeat Of President Roosevelt would
have meant that not even In the politi-
cally and economically most developed
country In the world could progressive
reform be achieved by peaceful, or
derby and legal methods. For coun-
tries considerably less mature. ma
terially and politically, as are the Latin
American, the alternative would have
been either respondent despair-the
very atmosphere which breeds reac-
tion-or final recourse to force. For
tunately, the democratic ideal was the
victor in the United States, and that
gives hope to Latin Americans in an
almost hopeless world. Perhaps there
is still . chance for democracy else
where. ~ q
ecopyrfsnt. 1850