Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1944-01-09
us. Probes Argentina's Plan
For South American Bloc
Study of Situation Delays Action on Recognition of
Neighboring Bolivias Revolutionary
Government.
Government.
BY Blair B0UeS.

SCdDle. YET the CnlleanS nave resisted
the Establishments of the agents Of di.
vision. In the Chilean Congress recent
ly agitators from neighboring coun-
tries were denounced.
In her jealousy of Brazil and in her
effort to bend Paraguay to her will,
Argentina last spring cut of Paraguays
free port privileges at Buenos Aires for
three days while President Morinigo Of
Paraguay was in Rio de Janeiro to sign
a trade treaty with Brazil. Argentina
lifted the suspension only after it re-
ceived assurances that the treaty con.
tanned no clauses for military alliance.
Paraguay is at Argentina's mercy eco
nomically because almost all her trade
goes down the Parana River, but the
Paraguayans are considered the proud
est race and the fiercest fighters in
South America. They are not easily
jostled into a position of political in
feriority to any neighbor state.
Argentina has been following curl
Gus two-way policy with respect to
Brazil. Apparently at times it enter
tains hope Brazil might enter an Ar
gentinian bloc or will not object to such
a bloc's creation, and pursues policy
of flattery. Admiral Storm, then the
Foreign Minister, congratulated Brazil
for giving Bolivia free port privileges in
Santos. The Argentinian public schools
celebrated Brazil's independence day.
Yet Argentina's most nationalistic
newspapers cried out warnings to
Brazils neighbors when President VAR
gas Of Brazil last September created
five new federal districts along the bor-
ders of Argentina, Paraguay, Bolivia
and Peru
The extremist Argentine story was
that Brazil established the districts as
part of plan for conquest. The
Brazilians said that the districts were
for purposes of national defense and
for exploitation of the regions national
resources
In the main the Argentine foreign pol
icy has failed. Chileans, Peruvians and
Paraguayans have not fallen into its
sphere Of influence. AS for Bolivia, Ar
gentina was working on the Penaranda
regime before Estenssoro's revolution,
but without success. Ramirez tried to
negotiate a customs union with Pena-
randa. The attempt to WOO both Chile
and Bolivia backfires on Buenos Aires,
because in the eagerness to win Bolivia,
Argentina has indicated support for
Bolivia's longing for a corridor to the
sea. That corridor would run through
Chile
Will Confer on Bolivia.
A strong display of continental soli-
darity was given Thursday when Secre-
tary OF State Hull reported that this
/ Government would consult with 10 other
American republics-all but Argentina
and Bolivia-before deciding whether or
not to recognize the new Bolivian regime.
| Despite this action and despite the Ar
| gentine failure to date, students Of
| Inter-American affairs see signs Of q
| developing distintegration of Western
| Hemisphere unity that encourages Ar
| gentina to go ahead with its policy.
| The insidious foundation on which
| Argentinian policy rests is the prop
uganda that if President Roosevelt is
( not reelected the good neighbor policy
/ will not be continued. The countries to
, the south are thinking about future
/ alignments. Brazil, the United States
! strongest friend, is contemplating poll
icy that would link her more closely
/ politically with Britain. In Mexico City,
/ Ambassador Constantine Oumansky is
trying to win a place for Soviet Rus
| STA in the economic affections of the
| Latin American countries.
Hope that Argentina can be won from
its policy of neutrality which helps the
Axis, have about been abandoned here
! Two months ago the possibility of re-
| volt against Ramirez and his govern
ment's repressive DEGREES was envi-
stoned. But Argentina is getting rich from
| the war. Britain is steady market for
ished economically and the spirit for re-
volt is lacking under such circumstances.
DR.. Adrian Escobar the new Argen-
tine Ambassador to the United States,
| is expected to leave for Washington
| shortly. but little confidence is held that
he can make any contribution toward
an improvement of relations between
the United States and his country. He
speaks no English. He is a friend of
Caudillo Francisco Franco of Spain.
This Government maintains good rela-
lions with Franco as an eXpedient poll
icy, but he has given little indication
that he has our interests at heart.