Evening star., 1949-02-13

4lCC S11O1CC VA U1AS AA&oJS4 4SJ Va AVA
almost as unusual. 1t is an inno'
vation to find one in which "tht
Yankees" are praised "for theil
efforts to defend freedom ane
liberty in the world" and not &C.
cused of political and economic
Imperialism in the Western Hemi'
sphere.
But the small republic of Uru'
quay is just such a nation Un'
like most of their neighkors, Uru'
guayans go amiably along thell
democratic way without revolu.
tions, without any dominating
ruling class or ambitious and ar
bitrary military cliques to order
their lives. Communism is no!
even a problem in Uruguay. r
small Communist Party is per-
mitted to howl itself hoarse, but
it gets little support from either
the laboring classes or long-haireo
intellectuals. The only group lr
the country that bears watching
is the reactionary, pro-Argentine
or pro-Peron Herrerlstas, party
founded by nationalistic. anti
gringo DR.. Luis Alberto de Her
rera.
u. S. Tourists Welcomed
Socially and politically the
100000 Uruguayans are not only
among the most advanced people
on the southern continent, but on
the whole they are today about
the most genuinely friendly to the
United States. North Americans
cannot afford to forget that III
two World Wars the Uruguayans
bravely took their stand on oul
side while their closest and most
powerful neighbor, Argentina, not
only remained neutral, but in the
last war even harbored our
enemies.
Citizens Of the United States
find Uruguay a delightful and
hospitable country in which to live
Casual travellers from this or any
other country are made to feel
perfectly at home. In Montevideo
the North American tourist is
treated as a welcome guest and
not as an object of exploitation
by shopkeepers. restaurant own
ers and taxi drivers.
North American products are
popular in Uruguay. It is good
advertising to put signs in the
shop and store windows saying
Imported from the United
States" To the women Of Buenos
Aires, Rio and other cities only
the styles of Paris seem to be just
right. Uruguayan women show
a preference for the styles OF New
York.
The reasons for all this are con-
tanned in the remarks of Uru-
guay's youthful President. DR..
Luis Battle Berres, who before he
came to Office was the proprietor
of a prominent radio station and
owner of one of Montevideo's
thriving newspapers. After all"
he told me. I'VE have many things
in common. We have the same
kind of institutions, and the peo-
pie of both countries religiously
maintain and defend them. You
believe in and practice representa-
tive democracy and so do we.
Like ourselves you believe implic-
lily in freedom of speech, freedom
of the press and freedom of radio,
as well as the right to worship
God according to your own faith
and conscience. Why shouldn't
we get along well together?"
Likened to Switzerland
Insofar as it's institutions, its
customers and characteristics are
concerned this tiny country might
be called the Switzerland of the
Western Hemisphere. I say tiny,
but it is larger than all of New
England plus half of New York
State. There are a number OF
wealthy families, and a few large
landholders and estancieros, or
ranchers. But it is not nation
with a rich upper class who rule
the country. Primarily it's ma
ton of small ranchers and farm
ers, shopkeeperS and small busi-
nessmen.
Many Of its large enterprises,
except such new developments as
textile mills, small factories and
the United States owned packing
plants, are government operated
The export of meats and wool,
chief source of national income
is largely in private hands. In
ternally federal corporations, with
their own autonomous boards of
directors and managers, operate a
little of everything from hydro
electric and cement plants, oil re-
f1neries and railroads to a chain
of tourist hotels and restaurants
One of the chief industries Of the
nation is the summer tourist trade,
and many of the best hotels and
summer resorts along the 100-mile
coastline northward from Monte
video are operated by the govern
ment.
Takes Broad Viewpoint
Government corporations even
retail gasoline and fresh meat ir
Montevideo and other large cities
"Socialistic monopoly" says the
casual foreigner. democratic
competition" insist the Urguayans
Besides" as one official expressed
1t, until recently there was not
sufficient private capital in the
country to undertake vast utility
projects or finance large distribu-
ton establishments. The govern
ment had to do many of these
things for the benefit and welfare
of the people. Private enterprise,
he went on, els free to build and
operate almost any kind of busi-
ness or industry except those