Evening star., 1936-11-29

dent will be fast approach
wv ing Buenos Aires in his
visit to South America, and
the person who has been over the
same ground, has enjoyed it the same
as has the Chief Executive, will un.
doubtedly wish he were along too, to
participate in the extreme pleasure.
for after once having visited the
Latin American republics. there is al-
ways longing to 60 there again.
We are told that there are millions
Of people in the Old World who be-
lieve that the United States of Amer
lea is still over-run with wild Indians,
and that our civilization does not COM
pare with other parts of the civilized
world and, naturally, the thought
makes us smile, But, so far as South
America is concerned, TIM Old Worlds
conception Of us is, generally speak
ing, almost the same as our own idea
of the republics to the south of us,
a few of which the President is now
visiting on his way to the Inter-Amer-
lean Peace Conference.
Indeed, even the more enlightened
OF our people, who have not visited
these countries, cannot visualize the
South America of today, with its great
wealth and population, its culture and
its magnificent cities, of which Buenos
Aires, the capital of Argentina, with
its population of more than 100000
people. is the largest in the Southern
Hemisphere, and ranks sixth in mag
nitude among the cities of the world.
Along the eastern coast. where the
Presidents itinerary takes him, there
are other large cities, including Rio
de Janeiro, with population, few
years ago, of 1,73o,000; Santos. 160,-
600; Sac Paulo, about million, and
Montevideo, 655,389.
THE cruise to Buenos Aires, which
is usually taken in one of the
combination freighter and passenger
vessels sailing out of New York, is the
beginning of very long journey, since
the distance one way is as far as it is
to Europe and return.
The first stop is generally made at
Bermuda, where passengers and freight
are discharged and other passengers
and new freight taken on. This pop
ular resort is so well known to Amer
leans as to need little explaining. 1t is
less than TOO miles from New York,
and is not very large place. Though
it is officially named the Bermudas,
1t is seldom so called, and yet it con-
sists altogether of $50 islands and in
lets. about a score being inhabited, the
total population being about 32,400,
and the total area being about one
fourth that of the District of Colum-
bia, They belong to Great Britain.
About six days travel from Ber-
rnuda and the Equator is crossed and
the ceremony is one long to be re-
membered by any one who has ever
taken part in it. Indeed, the writer's
knowledge of the doings upon such
an occasion is a personal one. since
he took in this identical trip two
years ago last Summer, with his good
wife, and kept copious notes, and, best
of all-after having been formally
presented to King Neptune-lived to
tell the story. and a certificate he
retains is evidence of the correctness
Of his statement. 1t reads:
"Munson S. S. Lines"
ITO all Fish affluent or indignant
and other dwellers of the vastly deep.
Greeting: We, Neptunus Rex,
exalted potentate of the Deep Sea, do
certify and proclaim that
John Clagett Proctor, Esq,
aboard the good Steamship
"Pan-America,
July Is, 1884,
was duly initiated into the mysteries
of the Order of the Trident, in
structed as to the sign of the Dolphin
and password of the Brotherhood of
the Nautilus, and is therefore hereby
constituted Sea Urchin with all
privileges and emoluments, if any, ap-
pertaining thereto. "Neptunus Rex"
"Attest-Thos. Simmons,
Commander"