The Ypsilanti daily press. (Ypsilanti, Mich.) 1928-1962, 1941-02-14

their psychology ana aHoIlioils
very we'll indeed.
There's no evidence, however,
that he's any particular authority
relative to the Latin Americans.
In fact, I imagine that I myself
know 'em better than he does. I
spent several years among them,
have a daughter and a couple Of
grandchildren who were born in the
Argentine Republic. worked there
as a newspaperman, made repor-
torial trips to Chile. Bolivia, Para
quay, Uruguay, Brazil and Venez-
uela, and ought to be fairly well
acquainted with 'em.
Now, I don't altogether see how,
without their own acquiescence,
Germany's going TO seize any Of
them or hold them in an iron grip.
At least I don't see how it can be
done Immediately.
And, II any experience entities
me TO an opinion. those boys aren't
due to be mildly acquiescent.
I don't question that the Ger
mans have done plenty Of propa-
ganda work all over the Latin
Americas, that there are fifth COL
umnists on the job or that numer-
GUS Trojan horses are loose.
Same Old Story
But, good gosh! Does anybody
suppose that the same sort Of &C.
tivity wasn't rampant during the
last war? Believe me. 1t was. I
ran into it head on, for was in the
business of propagandizing in the
same field for the United States,
in our Public Information Commit
tees service.
The German campaign took" In
spots. There are German colonies
scattered about the southern re-
publics. There's very large one
in southern Brazil. It's as German
as Germany. Early in this present
war, not to mention the last one,
these German-Brazilians attempt
ed Nazi uprising, but President
Vargas suppressed It with coolies
of German fatalities.
It was the same way during the
World war. The local Germans fell
for the kaiser's attempted fixing,
but the Latin populations generally
didn't. Indeed, they resented it. I
saw two anti-German riots IN
Buenos Aires. German shops were
sacked, the German club was loot
ed and the city's German-owned
newspaper, La Union, was set
ahre. The police looked on indif-
ferently. the Latin authorities not
caring a boot. Finally, the Com
munists undertook a regular revo-
luton. The Argentine army killed
800 Of 'em in three days.
AL this didn't look to me as II
that country proposed TO be Ger
manly dominated. l don't believe
it does now. 1t might be con-
quered, but not in short order, as
James w. Gerard suggests.
Latin Dfctators
I admit that some Of the Latin
American countries have dictators
Of their own, but their dictators
prefer to do their own debating,
not to be dictated to by Herr Hit
Ter, Signor Mussolini or Comrade
Stain. They object to dictation
from Washington, too. Washing
tons done a bit. Of It heretofore,
but not the New Deal administra-
ton.
A victorious Germany could lick
Latin America, Of course, If Latin
America actually adjoined- Ger
many, like the Low Countries or
Denmark, but across the Atlantic
and with the Latins helped by the
United States, 1t would be no snap
no mere matter Of an immediate
seizure or the immediate clamping
down Of an iron grip.
What's known as economic
penetration's" a different thing.
The United States isn't much Of
market for Latin Americas
products. Our productions mainly
the same as theirs. Europe's their
essential customer. And II Herr
Hitler gains control Of practically
all Of II, hell be in a position to
talk economic turkey to EN-, as
the buyer always is, to talk tur-
key, TO the salesman with goods
it's urgently necessary for the lat
far N GET M hia sheIyaa