Evening star., 1941-03-26
Rockefeller
Addresses
Club bWOnen
Ships Essential
To Latin Defense,
He Tells Press

Goods for the factories of South
America and ships in which to send
them are absolutely essential if the
United States is to prove an effective
goodwill neighbor and the cham
pion Of Western Hemisphere eco
nomic security, Nelson A. Rookie
feller told the Women's National
Press Club yesterday at luncheon at
the Willard Hotel.
Mr.. Rockefeller, chief of the Office
for Coordination of Commercial
and Cultural Relations between the
American Republics, warned against
economic pressure in the South
American countries induced by the
tremendous loss of European i'm
port and export markets which, If
permitted to continue, might result
in the axis powers gaining dangerous
control in the Western Hemisphere.
THE economic security of the
hemisphere rests entirely in our
hands" Mr. Rockefeller declared.
Recalling how the Nazis had already
conquered many of the European
minoritieS through economic pres
sure without firing a gun, he assert
ed that the same tactics were not
beyond the range of possibility in
the Western Hemisphere, if the
United States does not give practical
aid to the smaller nations to the
South.
South America can't stand much
more economic contraction" he en-
phasiZed They have already pulled
in their belts as far as possible. -
If the economic situation should
become much more acute. the
speaker predicted there would be
widespread misery throughout the
continent followed by political up
heaValS which would easily make
the countries ready for axis control.
LassEear, Mr.. Rockefeller recalled,
South Americas problem was her
surplus supplies with sudden loss of
markets. and a tremendous loss of
exchange preventing purchase of
necessary raw materials. The prob
lem had been partially solved, he
added, by purchases of surpluSes by
the United States, an influx of ref
ugee" capital, and Stepping-up in
purchases by the British. There
are still surpluses in coffee, cocoa and
corn, he continued, and British pur-
chases have been greatly curtailed
in recent weeks by their own losses
in shipping.
To assure economic independence
he supplied with raw materials,
which she can only obtain from the
United States, he explained. After
giving priority in necessary supplies
to Great Britain, Mr.. Rockefeller
expressed the belief we should send
essential goods vitality needed to
South America.
With but 119 boats taking care of
the inter-continental trade, Mr..
Rockefeller emphasized the necessity
of more ships and suggested doubling
the daily shift now effective in all
but Navy shipyards. In reply to a
question, Mr.. Rockefeller said it was
possible to receive cooperation from
South American nations in building
more ships.
Brazil has already expressed a
desire to place her efficient ship
yards at our disposal" he said. But
Brazil needs materials and must
get all of her steel plates and ma
chinery from us. This requires
ships for transportation"
An optimistic note was sounded
by Mr.. Rockefeller when he ex-
pressed his belief that the United
States would meet the problems
facing the Western Hemisphere.
Others who attended the luncheon
included Laurence Duggan, adviser
on political relations at the State
Department, and Mrs. Duggan; the
Right Rev. Msgr. Michael J. Ready
of the National Catholic Welfare
Conference, William F. Montavan,
director of the legal department of
the National Catholic Welfare Con-
ference and recently appointed to
serve on Mr.. Rockefeller's commit
tee; Carlos Siri, editor of a news
paper of El Salvador and newly
associated with the N. C. w. C. staff
in charge of the Portuguese and
Spanish departments, and Miss
Irene Wright of the cultural rela-
tions department, State Department.
Mrs. j. Fred Essary, club presi-
dent introduced the sneakers