Evening star., 1938-03-13
By Mary Jane Brumley.
and passport business
are very difficult things to
gauge" declared Mrs. Ruth

II. AOAAPASS, AAAASA VA Wiz
State Departments Passport Division.
when asked recently how strained in
ternational relations were affecting
the volume and trend of American
travel. Mrs. Shipley went on to say
that travel trends are not based on
obvious factors like personal prefer
ences or ability to pay or the appeal
of the various trips. We find, instead
that some intangible thing, like the
fear of war-which can rise and fall
overnight-or uncertainty about ones
income, tells the tale
For instance, travel dropped of
amazingly when sanctions were talked
against Italy during the Ethiopian
crisis, she said-for there you had the
embryo OF general European war
But only life-sized bugaboo of this
type can keep confirmed wanderers at
home. Mrs. Shipley thinks that war
like that in Spain and China doesn't
cut travel great deal" Steamship
routes are revamped to skirt the dam
ger zones, the trade is diverted into
new areas and tourist dollars flow into
Golfers hitherto not so favored. Local
travel bureaus confirm this belief and
sketch interesting new tour develop
ments that are the outgrowth of pres
ent unsettled world conditions.
Foremost among the new trends is
the diversion of former China and
Japan trade into less troubled waters.
Australia and New Zealand lead the
field there, so far as World-cruise pas
sengers are concerned, with the West
Indies and South America winning the
favor of those who desire shorter voy-
ages. The cruise business has been
good during the entire season-for
both short and long trips-and bids
fair to continue so indefinitely Thus.
the West Indies resorts, which got
off to flying start with II special
December sailings, have been favored
ports of call all winter. and will be
also the mecca of many Easter
voyagers.
MOST of the local travel people
agree. however, that South
America has been particularly good"
this season-even better. they venture,
than the West Indies. which is an all
inclusive term for Cuba. Puerto Rico,
Jamaica and Nassau. Pan-American
Airways, for instance. says that
"Travel to South America :. is at the
highest traffic volume level in the his
tory of the company . About 10000
people travelled in 1887 on the eastern
division (from Miami. around and
across the Caribbean, along the north
coast of South America and down the
east coast to Buenos Aires> an
increase of "a per cent above the
traffic for 1886"
Prospective passengers on Pam
Americans Rio route find themselves
forced to book trips we'll in ad-
vance. Thus, a prominent Washing
ton newspaper man. who wished to fly
to Rio recently, found that the Always
couldn't have seat for him short of
two weeks
The scribe in qrestion is typical of
an ever-growing air. minded clientele
that auguers well for the future of
South American travel. The element
of distance has been against that con-
tinent heretofore, no denying. with II
days consumed to Rio on the regular
service and three days more to Buenos
Aires. AS one shipping agent said,
Its long sea trip unless you're going
to stay bit"
And the lot of those who plan to
stay Bit" it. like the policeman's,
mot happy one
Here again we quote Mrs Shipley.
II am often asked" she said, why
Americans flock to Mexico, Canada.
Cuba. Puerto Rico and the various
island groups instead of spending more
time in South America. The answer is
simple. Mexico, Canada and the
islands make things easy for the trav-
eller-r1ost South American countries
seem determined to make things diff
cult" Thus, our neighbors on the
north and south require only an Amer
lean passport and small visa fee and
send you on your way rejoicing But
the traveller who thinks that passport
and fee are an open sesame in South
America finds himself sadly In error.
His troubles have only begun.
ONE country, for instance, requires
for entry or residence an unexpired
passport. vaccination and police certi-
f1cates and an affidavit that you will
not disturb the peace-this last coun-
tersigned by two reliable witnesses
These documents must be accompanied
by and affidavit showing that the
traveller is capable of earning his live
llhood (should that unfortunate neces-
slty arise while he is sojourning there).
Equally as important is health certi-
f1cate showing that he has neither lep-
rosy. trachoma. insanity. epilepsy nor
any other disease that might endan-
ger the public health
Another Latin American republic re-
ouires that travellers temporarily domi-
ciled in the country shall deposit $3.50
as guarantee of good faith. The
money is returned when the alien
leaves the country or establishes resi-
dence therein" Authorities find that
most Americans give their country a
wide berth
Another interesting sine quo non of
still another nation is that of IL pho
tographs-6 front and 6 profile-of
the prospective resident. These must
be accompanied by statement from
his last employers that his services
were satisfactory and two special iden-
tif1cation certificates Much more rea-
sonable in these troubled times seems
one nations requirement Of a state
ment that the alien has no intention
OF disturbing the international rela-
tions of the republic" Small wonder
that Americans and other outsiders
hail with joy Chile's modest demands.
There, praises be, you need be equip
ped with but three things-an unex-
pired passport, vaccination certificate
and 81 visa fee.
Il do feel" said Mrs Shipley, after
citing the above, that this sort Of
stringent regulation keeps back a good
many people from South America.
Worst Of all, perhaps. is the rather
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