Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1941-03-18

Barrier Of Language
TN THE course of his travels in Mexico Mr. William Ran
doph Hearst granted interview with President
Manuel Avla Camacho, and had his already favorable
impressions of the Mexican chief executive strongly
firmed.
president Avla Camacho" Mr. Hearst wrote SUBJ
sequently in his personal column in the News "has
sincerely democratic and inelgenty constructive mind
He cannot help producing in accordance with his
thought
His reflections upon this fact impeled Mr. Hearst to
OBSERVE:
"Mexco has developed enormously in the past Is
years now.
"In the quiet of contentment and under the orderly
processes of a somewhat more conservative and con-
strucve government, it will develop still more, i'm
mensely more.
"Mexco is one of the most delightful lands in the
whole world and of the richest in natural
"There is every why Mexico should advance
to very front line of progress among all the nations
of the world
MIR. HEARST obviously enjoyed the interview very
lV1 much and the only thing to it, he later
fessed in his column with humiliation" the fact
hat the aid interpreter frequently necessary
in order to nexcusably limited knowledge of
the Spanish language"
This thought weighed so heavily with Mr.. Hearst that
he suggested:
"A thorough training in the Spanish language
should be compulsory in every school in the
United States.
There is no better way of cutvatng the friendly
association and understanding with neighbors in the
Latin-Amercan republics which President desires
fr;ou pa;uhhO
entirely agreeable"
The language barriers between the people of the
United States and their Lan-American neighbors
indeed deplorable and inexcusabe.
would be wonderful thing if all the peoples of the
Americas could have language and be able to
conduct their business social and other neghbory rea
tons on the basis of understanding and sympathy and
enthusiasm which that would make possible.
Since that is probably impossible, and wholly unneces
sary moreover there should be general effort for the
attainment of proficiency in the languages commonly
used by all the peoples of the Americas
THERE is not only no BETTER way of cutivating
friendly associations and understanding with our
neghbors, Mr. Hearst says, but also OTHER way.
Whatever their mutually of interest and sympathy
may be- people who strangers in the matter of Ian
guage cannot hope to entirely remove the element of
strangeness from their relations.
But apart from the practical advantage be derived
from the breaking down of language barriers between the
American nations discovered by all who seek
proficiency in a language that new pleasures and
values thus acquired
Particularly is mastery of the beautiful and express
sive Spanish language enchng and broadening expe
rience gives entry to and vast fields of literature,
music and history 1t makes intimate acquaintance pos
sible only with interesting and admirable people but
with fascinating and ennobng phases of human progress
and achievement
Public education in the United States should surely
include thorough training in the Spanish language Our
relations with the Latin American nations already so
important that the existing language barrier is handicap
Those relations will achieve their full and real mpor
lance until that barrier is surmounted.
BAERING DOWN ON THE NEWS: