Show Aleman Proves A Good Neighbor I I Mexican Presidents President's Visit I Boosts Friendly J Relations 1 y r o I By BAUKHAGE Neus Neu's Analyst na and Commentator Service 16 1616 E Eye e Street N. N W. W Washington D D. D C. C I WASHINGTON Despite Despite the fact that relations between the United States and some of our sister republics republics to the south have degenerated considerably since the inventor of died the good neighbor policy that's not the case with Mexico You would realize that if you had seen the time all high in demonstrations demonstrations demonstrations that took place when Pres Miguel Aleman visited Washington I The first meeting and greeting on Constitution avenue had the inspiration inspiration I tion of local pepI pep- pep x I c campaign amp a i g n but butI I there was no outside outs outI out- out I s sid side i d c e stimulant i injected n j e c t e d into what was a ti really rip roaring roaring roaring roar roar- ing response to the lanky and smiling L Latin a tin when he visited congress on May MayDay Day More Morp than thana Via a few of his hearers hearers hearers hear hear- ers could follow Y him in the Spanish Span Span- ish and ish-and and everybody every- every BAUKHAGE body could match up his liquid phrases with the translation they held in their laps The speech was short and snappy When he was through senators representatives and the packed galleries galleries galleries gal gal- couldn't stop applauding even after el Presidente had Applause burst out again and again for almost everybody as they passed up the aisle Senator who usually is associated associated associated asso asso- with foreign relations of another another another an an- other sort got a generous share along with the cabinet members and diplomatic corps From rom the rostrum of or the house of representatives Aleman said that nearly million people living side by side in this hemisphere are concerned not only with assistance to ward off foreign aggression but also with the efforts to overcome the dangers of poverty and despair in the difficult years of peace A little bit earlier that day a joint statement had been issued signed by both President Truman and President Aleman stating that agreements had been reached for forthe forthe forthe the U. U S. S to grant credits to Mexico credits to make the greatest and earliest contribution to the economic economic economic eco eco- development of the land below below be be- low the Rio Grande The two chief I executives agreed that their respective respective respective tive administrations must exert every effort to raise the standards of living in their countries increasing increasing increasing ing productivity and consequently purchasing p power Confusion Prevails J JAt r rAt At News Conference We newsmen had our own hasta la vista later that afternoon in Lee Blair-Lee house a part of the twin residences turned over to visiting dignitaries for a press and radio conference which came near being chiefly a photographic contest It was a struggle unseemly indeed in that somewhat setting of antique furniture pale green walls wide mirrors and not very large early American rooms Not large enough anyway for the mob which surged about between the little bar the battery of cameras cameras cameras cam cam- eras and the doorway into the garden garden garden gar gar- den through which el Presidente was to appear Dogwood in the garden garden garden gar gar- den looked over the brick wall somewhat startled at the noisy i gathering At last the tall taU smiling figure tanked Banked by secret service men appeared He sat at a table The newsmen crowded around aroundhim aroundhim him completely cutting off ofT the cameras The newswomen's huge hats completely ly screened the klieg lights A controversy of no little heat ensued and no little heat exuded from the high power candle bulbs and the normal normal normal nor nor- mal radiation of a hundred or so energetic human beings Finally the newsmen were pushed back and the cameras set to work Some of the reporters were pushed clear out of range and I saw one helpless hapless gentleman wedged tightly between the bar and the backs of three husky Mexican pressmen The poor fellows fellow's right hand was pinioned so taking note-taking was impossible Only his left arm was free and that was deep in in the middle of a nest of scotch-and- scotch sodas What else could he do about it Salud y The photographing continued The photographers In in front fron wouldn't stop The newsmen cried Enough I One reporter reversing the ancient proverb sighed One word is worth wortha a thousand pictures The photographer yielded Do they do dp this in Mexico asked an American reporter archly They do this in Mexico answered answered an answered an- an a Mexican reporter in perfect perfect perfect per per- English white teeth gleaming I Little news was brought out beyond beyond be be- yond what Aleman had said to congress congress congress con con- gress or what was in the joint statement statement statement state state- ment concerning loans for Mexican industrial and agricultural develop develop- ment But there was one last question W t impressed you most on your visit isit 1 Mr r. r President Arlington and Mount 1 Vernon Vernon Ver Ver- non he replied The uThe enduring lessons of George Washington the great father of your our country country coun coun- try must be constantly taught t tAnd and rehearsed in your country And so the Truman gesture at Chapultepee Chapultepec was reciprocated Mexico exico Embarking On Year Six-Year Plan Mexico st still ll has some credit previously previously previously pre pre- approved by the Export- Export Import bank which she hasn't used She has borrowed 68 millions largely large large- ly used for highway construction transportation and industry she has repaid 13 millions still has 30 millions in the bank More will be needed to carry out Aleman's year six-year plan which includes in includes includes in- in increased irrigation and power facilities two facilities two TV TVA's As A's will be constructed Mexican l style Mexico is an agricultural country without too much arable soil she needs heeds to raise more to feed herself properly To do this will require six times as many irrigated acres as at present The joint statement also indicated that the two presidents were working working working work work- ing out an arrangement to stabilize exchange which would permit Mexico Mexico Mexico Mex Mex- ico to buy American dollars when she needs them to buy American goods and sell them back when she r 9 y GOOD NEIGHBOR Warns Aggressors can spare them In wartime when she was selling us more than she was buying she built up a supply of dollars But now she's buying more from us th than n she's selling to us By allowing her to buy dollars at the rate of five pesos to the dollar Mexico's money will be kept stable otherwise individuals might start bidding up the dollar which would decrease the value of the peso What did it add up to Good sense between good neighbors who want to continue to be good customers Mexico is farther to the left politically than we are but it is by no means one hundred hundred hundred hun hun- dred per cent socialist As for Aleman's political philosophy philosophy philosophy phy it was plain what he thought about the one party totalitarian states when he said before congress congress congress con con- gress Civilization wanes when the state curtails individual freedom to impose its will or that of a apolitical apolitical apolitical political party on its citizens It appears that Aleman's brand of democracy is near enough to ours to make him the good neighbor neighbor neighbor neigh neigh- bor we Washingtonians who met him think he is |