Evening star., 1941-07-04


Government has
reverted to the David Lawrence.
policy it applied during the frs
World War-an active educationa
campaign among the peoples Of
Central and South America witt
the hope of maintaining their CO.
operation no matter what contln-
gency may arise.
To carry on an educational cam
paign in Latin America, where NaZl
agents are numerous and where
newspapers and magazines are SUBJ
sidized directly by Nazi funds, is a
difficult task for the United States
Thus far the American Government
has not reSorted to such tactics
The plan rather is to make available
information through legitimate
channels with the hope that persons
influential in the Latin American
scene will see that Americas side
gets fair deal.
Certainly South America needs
certain raw materials on which pri-
critics have been established here
Financial aid for commercial trans
actions is also essential. Under such
circumstances and with so many
ramifications to the whole program,
1t was most natural that President
Roosevelt should create an agency,
now known as the Office OF Inter-
American Affairs, which is headed
by Nelson Rockefeller.
Red Tape Must Be Cut.
But as often happens in the case
of an expanding government, the
department which has hitherto han
died all matters concerning external
relations finds it necessary to take
into account activities by other agen-
cies of the same government which
cannot operate under the strict rules
of a foreign Office procedure. Red
tape, for instance, has to be cut and
the customary diplomatic machinery
cannot be used sometimes to obtain
action on various commercial mat
ters growing out of an emergency.
For several months the problem of
adjusting the Office of Inter-
American Affairs to the work of the
State Department and its repre-
sentatives abroad has been one of
the challenges of the war emergency.
But it can be stated that the inte-
grafton of the two agencies has
been accomplished, due especially to
the tact and skill of Sumner Welles,
Undersecretary of State, who is
number one man in knowledge and
background of Latin American af-
fairs covering the last quarter of
a century.
Separate Stats Advisable.
1t is no criticism of our trained
diplomatic officers in foreign coun-
tries to say that they are not tech
nically familiar with all the
problems growing out of attempts
to improve public opinion in the
countries where they reside. They
are trained in the art of SilenceS
and cautious statement rather than
aggressive combat against such bold
and at times vicious opponents as
the Nazi agents can be. The stu
alton properly calls for separate
set of representatives who, while
working with the embassies and
legations, are not restricted by
diplomatic etiquette in dealing with
anti-American manifestations.
During the first World War, the
United States Government, through
the Committee on Public Informa-
ton, headed by George Creel, estab-
lished information centers in many
foreign capitals and this proved
an effective way to get the doctrines
of President Wilson printed in the
foreign press, to say nothing of the
many tasks of counteracting attacks
on the United States, which were
likewise performed.
May Outlast Emergency.
The Office of Inter American Af-
fairs, which Mr.. Rockefeller ad-
ministers, has just received a small
appropriation from Congress, which
1t will devote to the improvement of
Americas prestige abroad by educa-
tional campaigns. For the first time
in many years, the United States
Government formally has recognized
that 1t was important to pay atten-
ton not only to commercial but
cultural relations, and such splendid
work has already been done by the
hundreds of persons operating un-
der the Office of American
Affairs that it would not be at all
surprising if this continued as a
permanent institution long after the
emergency had passed.
Mr.. Rockefeller seems to have the
organizing qualities which have
brought to his side some able volun-
teers familiar with Latin American
relations. His engaging personality
has made him quite popular among
the officials of the New Deal. The
main reason is that he works night
and day at the job of speaking for
and to Latin American commercial
and cultural interests insofar as they
affect national policy here. This is
something too big and far reaching
to be left as side issue of de-
partment which has to care for our
diplomatic interests not only in
Latin America but all over the
world, and that's why the working
arrangements between the State De-
partment and the Office of Inter
American Affairs constitute a mile
stone in efficient progress.