Evening star., 1949-05-01

A1OlC tIlhu zU SChlo tIlS pUWCElQl
Party Of Revolutionary Institu-
tions has been the controlling
forces In all elections. The Peron-
ista Party in Argentina Is today
the political machine Of all gov
ernmental and political life In the
nation.
Cuba Is an Exception
1t would be grossly unfair, OF
course, to leave the impression
that there is no freedom of news
in Latin America and that every
country and government practices
censorship in some form. Not
even in the United States is
greater freedom of expression and
opinion accorded to citizens, the
press or the radio than in Cuba.
Nor does there exist in this coun-
try greater jealousy of this free
dom upon the part Of the public,
editors and commentators. One
of the outstanding independent
newspapers Of the hemisphere is
Ell Mundo Of Havana, which is
under the direction Of DR.. Pedro
Cue. The same may be said of
the Dia de la Marina and other
Havana dailies.
Although 1t lies in the shadow
of the powerful Argentine dicta-
torship, the Uruguayan press Siz-
zles with criticism and denuncia-
tions of "the menace of Peron-
ism" 1t applies the same plain
speaking to its own officials. Every
morning the President Of this
democratic little nation must run
the gauntlet of the most objective
appraiSals and often the most
singing editorial comment on his
action of the day before. But
President Luis Battle Beres. him.
self a newspaperman. revels in it.
1T is the balance wheel for any
man in high Office" he told me
recently.
While Chileans are sometimes
critical of our attitude toward
them, and a little sensitive about
some of the reports our corre-
spondents send out, the policies
and actions of Chilean politicians
and officials are continually sub
jected to a merciless barrage of
editorial comment and caustic
caricatures.
The Brazilian press was under
severe nation wide censorship dur
ing the last half of the 15-year
Vargas dictatorship. In son1e Of
the more remote cities and. sec
tions they have not yet completely
recovered from political pressure:
In several of the more provincial
cities political bosses still use
strongearm methods to intimidate
reporters and editors.
Power in Brazil
In the city of Recife, only a
few weeks ago, a group of hood
lums. said to represent a local
political clique. was charged with
the brutal beating Of a Rio re-
porter who went north to write
about political conditions in the
state of Pernambuco, of which
Recife is the capital. But in the
great metropolises of Rio de Ja-
metro and Sac Paulo, the press is
once again a powerful influence
on all agencies and officials Of
government.
Latin, and particularly Spanish,
temperament has much to do with
the tendency to restrain news
writer's in some of these countries.
officials and private citizens are
sensitive to public criticism and.
particularly, any critical comment
in the foreign and United States
press. This feeling ha : been in
tensifled by the attitude toward
Latin Americans that prevails in
certain parts of this country.
Segregation as practiced in one
or two of the Southwestern States,
especially in the public schools,
with the implication that people
of Mexican blood are not worthy
Of associating on an equal basis
with Anglo-Saxon citizens and
their children, has left a deep
resentment.
Some of the most widely trav-
eled and cosmopolitan citizens Of
the southern countries grow angry
at what they describe as "the
f1ippant treatment" they now re-
ceive at the hands Of many of
our writer's and commentators.
As DR.. Augustin Edwards. noted
banker and publisher of Ell Mer-
curio. Chile's greatest newspaper.
puts it. judging from your Holly
wood version Of US. you like to
think Of all Of US as being bare
foot Indians or gigolos. But" he
went on. mo doubt, you would
resent it If we assumed that you
were all like most of the char
facters in your western and gang
ster movies"
Writing Criticized
Prominent Latins like DR.. Ed
wards are particularly critical Of
what they call the biological type
Of descriptive reporting" en-
ployed by certain North American
publications. One prominent dip
lomat in Washington explained 1t
by saying. "As we grow older. some
Of US lose our hair and grow fuller
around the midrifi. but why
should you refer to any one who
has been overtaken by such mis-
fortunes as being 'egg-headed and
lpot-bellied? That" he remarked.
''is the phrase which one Of your
weekly magazines was recently
wont to describe me-"
What nearly all leaders In these
countries feel to be the North
American press general lack Of
attention to Latin American rela-l
tions Is at this very moment q
subject of discussion among south
ern diplomats. both In the United
Nations and In the newly re-
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