The Washington times., 1937-11-11
Let Voice of America
Be Heard

with group of dictators.
Apparently the dicatorial urge on the part of our
good neghbors in Latin America is even greater than
it is in Europe For out of the twenty republics COOP
Grating with the United States in the PanAmerican
Union only four-Mexico, Colombia, Costa Rica and,
for the time being Venezuela-can be said to have re-
tained the essentials of democratic form of gov
ernment
Only yesterday virtual dictatorship was established
in Brazil Thus with the forthcoming elections can
celed and Rio de Janeiro under martial law President
Vargas has found it expedent to hold to the rens
of his office He already has been in power eight years
without election.
The semi-dctatorshp existing in Chile is as absolute
as in the Dominican Republic, where 1000 Hatians
were knitted and thrown into the the other day with
cLn,,. z,1oot;o, out ripple of protest on the
. part of the Dominican citizens.
He'" I" HSe"''"" True, an election was held in
Argentina the other day. but had there been any freedom
at the polls the Argentine opposition would have over
whelmed the ogarchy firm entrenched in
Buenos Aires.
More recently certain of our good neghbors particu
larly Cuba from which we ousted DICTATOR have
been taking the lead in advocating recognition of the
Franco regime in Spain.
In general the bond of sympathy between the dictator
ships in Europe and good neighbors in Latin
America is increasing. Argentina has gone to Musso-
ni for new destroyers Chile and Brazil have granted
both Italy and Germany preferential trade agreements
despite the fact that the United States is their best
market and despite the reciprocal treaty between this
country and Brazil.
Finally the speeches of President Roosevelt, espe
oally when critical of European relationships and
tolng the virtues of democracy censored by large
1, c1 part Of good neighbors'
press; while the radio pro-
O'"e'A e"'''0" grams broadcast to South
America by Naz and Fascist propaganda stations re-
main uncensored and have their daily effect all the
neighborly ears south of the Rio Grande.
It would sound little too much like Mr. Hoover or
John Hamilton to hold the Roosevelt Administration
responsible for the growth of Nazism among neigh
bors, yet there is important point which both the
State Department and the White House sadly have neg
lected-the use of American radio wave-lengths to
counteract Fascist propaganda.
With exactly this idea in mind the State Department.
at the last PanAmerican Conference, reserved six
channels for broadcasng between the United States
and Latin America Four years have passed since then
and up until few months ago they had remained alb
soutey idle.
Finally, fearing that the next International Radio
Conference convening shortly in Cairo would demand
the channels back again. the State Department. prodded
by George Henry Payne Of the Federal Communications
Commission, got busy.
The Pan American Union cooperating with the World
Wide Broadcastng Company, has begun series of
broadcasts while Secretary Ickes has announced series
entitled :" Brave New World'' 1t sounds interesting
dramatic episodes about the lives of great south
of the Rio Grande from the days Of the Conqustadores
to the present.
BUT-this broadcasting moves along a oneway
street The language is English and will not be heard
at least heeded in the country where their reception
Wo 1fyct Make most needed The World Wide
programs partly in Span
V"Se'OeS He"" ish, but feeble attempts
compared with the powerful programs carried in Span
ish and Portuguese by the Italians Germans and Rus
slams The Latin listener tunes in our broadcasts
then turns the dial to Fascist program complaining
that he cannot understand what the "Yanquis" have
to say.
We believe in Good Neighborhness We consider it
of the outstanding achievements Of Mr. Roosevelts
foreign DOlicV. But np0hh0rirnaa rarrCt ha nou+o