Evening star., 1949-07-10

Various agencies OF the Unit
with privately supported scientific
business and industrial enterprises
have spent fabulous sums and per-
formed miracles in improving the
social and economic lot of vas'
numbers of the 145, 100000 people
in the countries and islands to the
south of us.
The only new and significant
aspect of the Truman program |!
the fact that it would lay down
formal political policy in regarc
to such activities. First, it woulc
commit the taxpayers of the coun'
try to the policy that they ane
their Government. as well as pri'
yate investors and industrial in.
terests, have a responsibility to &c
abroad and help to improve the
life and economic status OF peo'
pies In economically backward
areas. Second, it would make the
Government responsible for help.
ing to ease the way for such &C.
tivities by inducing foreign gov
ernments to enter into mutua.
agreements and even treaties
guaranteeing fair treatment tt
those engaged In such endeavors
Wrong Impression
From much of the comment
that has followed the presentation
of the Truman plan" to Con-
gress, many people seem to think
that this is not only a new politi-
cal policy, but an entirely new
concept Of international response
bility. When he first announced
the program. as Point Four" in
his inaugural address, the Presi-
dent himself unwittingly left that
impression. In his recent message
to Congress, he did point out that
this country has conducted rel
atively modest programs of tech
nical cooperation with other
countries. Unfortunately, he said
very little. about what purely pri-
vate enterprise itself has already
contributed to the economic ano
social well-being of millions OF
people who live next door to us.
| If this impression were allowed
to continue. it would be grossly
unfair to all the people who have
made such tremendous contribu-
tions to the building Of a better
life for many of our neighbors
Worse still, 1t would play directly
into the hands Of Communists
and other trouble makers who are
already bending every effort tc
discredit every activity, interest
and citizen Of the United States
throughout the world and partic-
ularly in Latin America.
Most of the constructive work
done by our own people in this
hemisphere In the last half cen.
tury is unknown for a number o1
reasons. In the early days some
of them did make serious mis-.
takes In their dealings with the
governments and peoples. A few
were guilty Of deliberate exploita-
ton and imperialistic designs. AL
of which has been played up and
kept alive by our critics, as well
as our competitors through the
years. Few people seem to have
learned. or remember. that Latin
America had already been the
object of commercial, economic
and political exploitation by the
leading nations Of Europe, even
before this country gained its in
dependence.
Fight for Influence
Britain, France and the Meth
erlands still own vast empires Of
dependent territories in the Car
ibbean, the Gulf and down the
Western Atlantic. At this very
moment Great Britain is engaged
in territorial disputes with sew
eral of the countries-with Qua
temala and Mexico over British
Honduras and with Argentina
over the Falkland and Antarctic
Islands.
During and Immediately follow
ing the First World War. United
States capital began going into
and made great headway in every
one of the nations. After the war,
when Britain, Germany, France,
Italy and the others got back on
their feet, they naturally waged
a very heated campaign to regain
their economic influence.
Finally, with the beginning OF
World War II, we then went "all
out" spent hundreds of millions
of dollars to stimulate production,
to give financial support to gov
ernments. But unfortunately i'm
mediately the Axis powers were
defeated, we were called upon, or
compelled. to turn our attention
to the rehabilitation of Europe
and to the policing of a part OF
Asia. Yet, while we are giving
such undivided attention to the
European countries, the Europe
ans are waging a colossal cam
paign to recapture the markets Of
the Latins, as evidenced by the
much-discussed Anglo Argentine
five-year barter agreement.
Reds Attack Us
Meanwhile, the Communists
play upon the prejudices of the
people of every one Of these coun-
tries by telling them Uncle Sam
is a "fair- weather friend" Since
the war is over and they no
longer need your help, the Yam
KEGS have no time for you" That
is the Moscow line from Mexico
to Patagonia. United States in
dustrial enterprises below the Rio
Grande are again denounced as
exploiters Of the helpless Lat
ms"
The United States Public Health
Service, the Institute Of Inter-
American Affairs, the Departments