Evening star., 1938-04-27
NE|GHB0R POLICY
UNDERG0|NCTE TEST
Observer Says Mexico May
See How Much u. S.
Will Stand.
fSecond of q Series.J
By DUNCAN AIKMAN,

Correspondent of the New York Post.
MEXICO CITY, April 81 (AirmaiD.
When you get two weeks deep in
Latin America something begins to
happen to your sense Of vision.
You begin to see through-or at
least deeper into-one of the more
complicated diplomatic problems of
the 19S0s. You begin to realize that
in volunteering for the role of pro-
tagonist of good neighbor policies, the
United States has taken on one of
the toughest diplomatic assignments
IN world history.
Theoretically, and as modulateS
voices occasionally explain it on the
radio from Washington, the good
neighbor policy is the height of SIM
plicity
You renounce the Platt amendment,
pull the marines out of the remote
mosquito coasts where they have been
in forcible chaperonage of political
or financial mannerisms below the Rio
Grande. and everybody cheers.
UNDERSTANDING hOOmS.
From then on the Western Hemi-
spheres international life will be pro-
gressively lovelier Understanding
will increase. because suspicious have
been allayed and understanding eases
tensions in a naughty world.
Gradually and affectionately we will
fuse into an informal alliance of 81
republics, bound by cultural, trade and
political sympathies and the tacit
realization that We have common
institutional life to defend against the
rascals of Fascist Europe.
Under the frown of the Mexican
Cordilleras, however, three enormous
reservations to this touching logic
leap up and hit you from the ground.
Cd A great deal of the emotional
salesmanship behind the good neigh
Dor policy in the United States has 10
do with the inner intimation that
Washington is forming a coalition of
democratic nations against the Fascist
relationships. Yet there are few areas
between Cape Horn and the Rio
Grande whose democratic institutions
and predictions would impress say,
an average voter from Indianapolis.
The Economic Factor.
CD Besides being favored with an
enormous number of elements uncon-
genial with democracy. the good
neighbor policy is overwhelmingly sea-
soned-not to say poisoned-with eco
nomic penetration.
If we are going to be good neighbors
at all, We will have to be good neigh
bors with people who owe us money, in
whose front yards We are operating
service stations, in whose back yards
We own the fruit trees and the vege-
table patches. whose cellars We are ex-
cavating for minerals and whose wood
sheds we are using for factories.
90 More perilous still, the good
neighbor policy inevitably turns on
Mexico as a pivotal point. We have
thousands of intimate neighborly re-
lations day with Mexico where we
have dozens week with more souther-
ly neighbors.
There are Americans by tens Of
thousands in Mexico every year. to
the hundreds. or even scores, by which
American tourists and colonists are
counted elsewhere. Billions of Ameri-
can money have gone into Mexico.
Other republics. with two or three ex-
ceptions, count our hold on their ma
tlonal resources in less than hundred
million units.
Complicated by Emotion.
Difficult as all this is, it is not made
any easier by the fact that Mexico as
pivotal point, suffers from frequent
emotional tremors. attacks of shell and
earthquake shocks and occasional pe-
RODS of definitely volcanic activity. !
And above all, from old grudges.
For from the Mexican point of view, !
what is the use of Washington's hav-
ing a good neighbor policy if Mexico
can't utilize it to make the United |
States pay through the nose for what |
she took 80 years ago in Texas and |
California real estate. for the humilia-
tions of the Pershing and Vera Cruz t
expeditions and for the hundreds OF |
millions in dividends and executives |
salaries which Americans have drawn |
from their Mexican investments?
Copyright 1895 by the New York Eve ,
ning Post)