Evening star., 1938-12-11

isphere by Germany, Italy and Japan, a
at this moment the formal
oratory of the inaugural addresses at
the, eighth Pan-American Conference,
which opened Friday at Lima, Peru.
Secretary of State Cordell Hull, who
heads the American delegation to the
conclave, has been trying for several
years to break the barriers that hinder
the commercial interchange of the
United States with the nations to the
South by means of bilateral treaties, and
he is now bending his efforts to extend
those pacts. Mexico and Argentina, two
of the largest customers of this country
in Latin America, are not in the trade
pacts lineup. although 10 other repub-
lies in the hemisphere are, and negotia-
tions with an 18th, Venezuela, are pend
ing.
Mr.. Hull is confronted in his task by
the activities Of the Germans, Italians
and japanese, who are exerting great
pressure to increase their trade hold on
Latin America, thereby giving rise to
serious worries here.
Germans Firmly Entrenched.
OF the three, the Germans are the
most firmly entrenched in the southern
continent. Through the blocked" or
"aski' marks, which can be used by the
payee only for the purchase of German
goods, the Nazis have succeeded in build
ing up large trade. Brazilian coffee
and cotton. Ecuadorian cocoa and Argen-
tine products are bought in great guam
titles by the Germans. who later often
resell those staples elsewhere for cash.
German holdings in Peru and Brazil.
in the shape of mining, agricultural and
industrial enterprises, are important
The japanese own large tracts Of land
in both those countries, besides operat-
ing many of the most important depart
ment and retail stores in Peru. In Brazil
they possess mining and cotton growing
holdings in the center and southeastern
part of the country, having also pene-
trated along the Amazon River Valley
to the trapeze- shaped region of Leticia,
was narrowly averted a few years ago
and where the Nipponese are competing
with the British Amazon River Co. for
complete control They also are disput-
ing control of rich banana zones with
American and Brazilian interests.
The Italians are operating advantage
ously in Peru, where one of their banks
play an important part in local finance.
Italian interests in Brazil, Uruguay and
Argentina have for years held promi-
nent place. However, 1t must be noted
that Italians have been readily assimi-
lated by the three last-named countries
and that great share of Italian enter
prises there can be considered native.
U. s. Invests $4,000, 100000
On the whole, though, measured in size
Of investments. German, Italian and
Japanese interests in Latin America
cannot hold candle to the British and
American: The United States alone has
invested more than $4,000. 100000 south
of the Rio Grande, and the British stake
is almost as big. The two great English
speaking powers own or control the
banana plantations of Central America,
the oil fields of Venezuela and Ecuador
(until recently those of Mexico, too), the
tin mines of Bolivia, the meat industry,
railroads, telephones and a good share
of other public utilities in Argentina, the
manganese mines of Brazil and the cop
per mines of Chile, besides having hun
dreds of millions of dollars invested in
government obligations and industrial
shares there.
The current trade push by the totali-
tartan states is accompanied by an in
tensive campaign of propaganda by ra-
dio. the press, lectures and newsreels,
trying to impress the Latin Americans
with the qualities of the dictatorial ma
tions and the real or fancied shortcom-
ings of the democracies The United
States has been singled out-being the
most important trade rival-as the tar
get of this campaign.
BY all means at their disposal. the to-