Evening star., 1944-10-22
Fascism Threatens Solidarity

iiS cNeI CiOSeT 10 the QOur OF ma
defeat and judgment in Europe and
elsewhere in the world"
Fascism Threatens Solidarity.
Earlier, the writer described the
problem of the State Department as
a dilemma" The word was chosen
advisedly. If the administration
does nothing about the spread of
Fascism in Argentina and from it
to adjoining nations, the whole sys-
tenn Of inter-A American solidarity
built up over the last decade will be
endangered seriously. II, on the
other hand, Washington's policy is
too vigorous toward another men,
ber of the American family, the
good neighbor" policy may be
wrecked. Certainly any threat to
use force in Argentina would lead
at once to widespread alarm south
of the Rio Grande. There would be
an immediate outcry against the re-
vival of imperialism.
Yet, assuming-as the State De-
partment does-that the colonel s
clique is German dominated
creature that has fastened itself like
a leach on a democratically- minded
Argentine people, fairly strong
measures seem justified not only
from a viewpoint of hemisphere de-
fense, but in the interest of the Ar
gentinians themselves.
Short of military force-which
can be ruled out-the only effective
weapons would seem to be economic
Thus far the United States has con-
fined itself to such minor measures
as stopping north-bound ships from
calling at Argentine ports and freez-
ing the export of gold to Argentina
A second step might be an embargo
on trade.
Actually. Americas ally, Great
Britain, which has withdrawn its
Ambassador from Buenos Aires and
publicly voiced support of the
ROOSEVELT Hull policy, is in a strong
er position to exert pressure on Ar
gentina than is this country. AS of
l94l, the last year for which statis-
tics are Immediately available. of
5000 ,000,000 of foreign investments
in Argentina, some S5.400, 900 900
COR so per cent? were British-omled
This included $872. .436, 900 worth of
holding of Argentine public securi-
ties. More important, Great Brit
ain normally buys between 80 and
40 per cent of all Argentina sells
including 80 per cent Of its meat
while the United States normally
has a favorable balance of trade
with Argentina.
Argentina's Best Customer.
Wartime contingencies, however,
make it difficult for the British to
employ their strongest weapon
against Argentina-restricting their
imports Of meat. The British peo-
pie have been on mere subsistence
rations since 1899, and any artificial
curtailment of food imports would
undoubtedly result in a public out
cry.
However, for decades the British
have been Argentina's best custo-
mer, and there Is no reason to be-
lieve that this would not, under the
workings Of economic law, be true
after the war.
Hence the British government
might - and with good effect t.
threaten postwar economic reprisals
against Buenos Aires if 1t persists
in its pro-Axis policy. With Ger
many and Japan defeated, the Unit
ed States and Great Britain are the
only two nations to whom Argentina
can turn in immediate postwar years
for substantial foreign trade.
Meanwhile, there is some hope
here that the Argentine people
themselves will solve the problem
by internal pressure on the Farrell
regime. 1t is generally believed in
diplomatic circles that the great
masses of Argentine citizens are
still pro-United Nations in their
sympathies but that, like the peo-
piles of Germany and pre-armistice
Italy, they are so effectively throt-
tied that they will find it difficult
to express their wills.
lt mas been effectively proved
that the internal dynamics of
Nazi-Fascism tend to tighten its
control of the people constantly with
the passing Of time. If the Argen-
tinians themselves are to solve the
problem of the Farrell dictatorship.
they must act quickly.