Evening star., 1947-04-30
Alemun Welcome Seen
Cementing Friendship
Demonstration Held Part of Fight
Against Communism
By David Lawrence

Against Communism
| By Dauid Laurence
America is anxious to make and keer
as many friends as possible among tht
countries OF this troubled world.
/ Back OF the enthusiastic welcome tr
President Aleman is a definite pelic,
mere OF encouraging the most cordial
relations with every nation on this hem.
isphere.
Mexico has been a good neirhbor.
and one might wonder why the demon,
stration at this time of good relations
The answer is that Mexico can be !
hotbed OF subversive influence. Com.
munism. in fact. already has begun it,
lnf1ltration program of creating dissen.
sion in many countries to the south
Of the United States.
AS long as there is tendency to taks
Mexican-American relations for granted
and as likely to be good anyhow, there
is a danger of neglect. Communists
moreover, are alert to take advantage
OF any misunderstanding or to exag-
Mexico and the United States havs
much in common but the peoples of the
two countries really know very little
ABOUT each other. A visit such as Pres
ldent Truman recently paid to Mexico
and such as President Aleman now paws
to this country means more publicity
attention in a few weeks than either
country gets from the other In many
years.
Background of Cooperation.
Manifestations of friendship through
an exchange of presidential visits are
worth while when they are superin-
posed on background of genuine CO.
operation. Mexico and the United States
worked together in World War II In
manner that could not have been ey-
celled.
But basically the Mexican people have
often been misled by agitators who seek
to spread the impression of Northern
Colossus anxious to gobble up weaker
country. Unfortunately, misunderstand-
ings In the past have furnished oppor-
tunities for such propaganda to gain
headway.
The Mexican people as a whole can
be led into paths of warm friendship for
the United States because at heart they
are friendly, peace-loving people. They
are tired OF the exploitation that comes
with dictatorship. Back in 1911 this cor
respondent began writing from various
parts OF Mexico about the revolution
that oyerthrew Dictator Diaz and an
opportunity was afforded then to under
stand the spirit of liberalism and de-
mocracy that really animates the Mex
lean people.
Some OF the men who were promi-
nent IN that revolution later assembled
to high Offices in the several administra-
tions that have followed during the last
IS years. While these administrations
have differed in personalities and in the
character Of their reform programs,
the trend has been genuinely demo-
cratic and the purpose has been to
achieve the main objectives Of the 1910
revolution against dictatorship.
Mexico's chief difficulty has been her
lack OF capital to develop her rich re-
sources. Sometimes reformers have
gone to the extreme and scared away
foreign capital But the war period
gave Mexico her biggest stimulus and
today there are civic improvements and
industrial establishments which never
would have been possible except in a
war economy when hundreds of mil
lions Of dollars of new capital were
spent.
Rise In Financial Strength.
Some idea of the rise in Mexicos
financial strength can be derived from
the fact that the balances of gold and
non-Mexican funds went from $40.
100000 in 1899 to $375,oo0,0oO in 1s45.
Mexico bought more and more from
the United States and last year $780,
100000 of United States products were
sold to Mexico while this country bought
$233,000,0o0 OF Mexico's products.
Since the Mexicans are continuing
to buy goods from the United States
that they couldn't get during the war,
the balances are now about third less
than they were when the war ended.
1t has been suggested that the Export
Import Bank make Mexico a loan Of
about $145,o00,0o0 President Aleman
wants to build new highways and at
tract more tourist travel from the
United States. Other credits for ho-
tells and housing facilities are also
planned.
President Aleman wants to see the
credits extended to the government Of
Mexico but in turn for the govern
ment to put the projects into private
business hands through direct losns to
those businesses. Farm machinery,
textile machinery, road building equip
ment and many of the materials needed
to develop Mexico internally will be
bought In this country out of the pro-
ceeds of these loans.
A total of about $500, 900 900 in credits
may eventually result from the irlti-
mate business relations which Mexico
and the United States now are develop
ing and 1t will in turn attract other
American capital to Mexico. Mexico
needs dollars now to balance her sx-
change. The alternative would be to
curtail imports from the United States
so as to conserve dollars. The economic
interests of both countries are inter-
related. A program Of development Is
necessary SO that on our southern bor-
der the United States shall have a
friendly neighbor with strong eco
nomic foundation. -,.
Reproduction Rights Reserved3
And CrystuI Guzino Spheres