Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1939-09-17
War Will Help u. S. Solidify
Neglected Pan>American Ties
Quick Calling of Panama Farley Due to Prove
Of Great Profit United Action Due
to Bar Zimmerman Incidents
By Constantine Bro,vn,

s"C DgOuUs
But one Of the important topics to b
discussed-especially If we look into the
future-will be the question of economic
cooperation. There have been many in
dustrialists and government officials in
the last few days who believe firmly that
the future Of this country's trade lies in
much closer cooperation with the
South American republics. This was
hopelessly bungled for more than Is
years.
When the last war broke out, the
American manufacturers, industrialists
and bankers believed that the logical
field for the United States economic ex-
pansion was Europe. They were led to
believe that because a war-torn Europe
was compelled to purchase everything
from needles to tanks in the U. S. A., this
state of affairs would continue. The
fact that hot cakes and chewing gum
were introduced in Europe was taken by
our businessmen to mean that hence
forth European markets would not be
able to do without American products
a
to be established across the Atlantic.
South American" American business
men of 1920 shrugged their shoulders
contemptuously.
When the bankers had too much
money in their vaults they loosened the
purse strings to make substantial and
ill-advised loans to almost any South
mo a,ot iy1 nf
The natural resources of that vast con-
tinent were sufficient collateral for these
loans And when the lean years came
and the South Americans were unable to
meet their obligations, everybody shout
ed that they were dishonest. Few tried
to draw line between non-payment Of
obligations because of financial inability
and reputation because of i'll will.
U. S. Got Its Just Desserts.
Our lack of success in the South Amer
lean markets was also due to the poor
psychology of a good many American
statesmen. They went down with su-
periority and were dictatorial in their
manner. They had take it or leave
it" attitude and while they kept silent
every time they were stung in Europe,
they raised the roof when some South
American firm was unable to meet its
obligations. The result of this attitude
on the sensitive Latin Americans has
fostered a German and Italian penetra-
ton in most of the Southern republics.
And We here have fumed and complained
when we found that American type
writer's and Office equipment-to mention
two items which used to be the monopoly
of this country-were replaced by similar
products manufactured in the totali-
tartan states
With trade, the totalitarian influence
increased in most of the South American
republics. The Latin Americans have
great respect for well-organized mill
tary force And their political leaders
were given a chance to see what the
German military machinery was, with
all expenses paid.
Even after-quite recently-we began
to see the danger of pacific penetration
by the totalitar!an states in South Amer
lea nothing really constructive was done.
There have been reciprocal trade agree
ments Of some Importance The admin
istration enGeavored to solidifv the ties
with the Southern continent by an in
telligent cultural policy. But the re-
sponsible non-oficial people and some
members of the Congress still failed to
see the potentialties of a strong eco
nomic collaboration with the Spanish
speaking nations to the south.
This question will be one of the more
important subjects to be discussed at
Panama At the present time the South
Americans need everything we can pro-
duce in the industrial field. They can
buy nothing from war-torn Europe. We
here require many of their raw materials
but principally we need their confidence
and good will The administration real
ICES that the good will of government
is important but not important enough.
We want the good will of all the peoples
of the South American nations. We want
them to smile when they call us grin
goes" as the mid-Westerner does when
he calls the New Englander "Yank."
And that is one of the things which the
Panama conference is likely to yield.