Manawatu Evening Standard. THURSDAY, JUNE 6, 1940. LATIN AMERICA.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LX, Issue 160, 6 June 1940, Page 6

Manawatu Evening Standard. THURSDAY, JUNE 6, 1940. LATIN AMERICA.

The tragic revelation of wliat Nazi undermining can do i to the fabric of nations, given.,’,’in the case of Norway, Holland, and Belgium, has caused other not engaged in the war to take stock of their condition, and this applies with particular force to the United. States, not. so much on her own account but because of the danger that existsfrom Nazi penetration in Latin America. Repeated calls by President Roosevelt to the Squth American countries to stand together with the United States in a coinmon bond of friendship and protection the one for the other have been made; the reaction to these iii the Latin American countries has not been made very clear. Prior to the outbreak of the war there was abundant evidence of Nazi infiltration in these territories, yet frequently when exposures were made the talk of a “menace” to the United States’s interest in them was dismissed too lightly by those who should have known better. This week’s cablegrams inform us that Nazi penetration in Central and South America continues, with bolder, even audacious, movements by these followers of Hitler’s creed. In trade activity alone In the ten years preceding 'the present war Germany made considerable expansion in South America that trade has been manoeuvred by a well organised- plan of agencies and propagandists. Throughout ' the continent, indeed in almost every State, there have been establisli>ed German colonies, some of them of considerable strength. When we remember Hitler’s declaration that the Nazi organisation reaches eyery house and workshop abroad where Nazis are placed, containing them in one great unit, there is added strength to the belief, expressed by one student of conditions in South America, that the Latin Republics would have to fight vigorously for their freedom were the Nazis to have their way in Europe—which the Allies will assuredly prevent. Some of the South American States have lost considerably in' direct trade with Germany because of the blockade, and higher prices for keenly sought commodities have' been partly offset by increased shipping freights; but taken all round it can be said that most oj them are reaping good returns from trade with Italy, and it is commonly believed that much of what Italy receives is reexported to Germany. There are conflicting opinions among those who have visited South America in recent months as to the repercussions of the war’s effects in the countries concerned ; 'but there as agreement that these countries are more apprehensive of the trade position than of internal dangers arising' from Nazi penetration: Some of them, since the betrayal of Norway, Holland, and Bel-o-ium, may now set. about checking Nazi influence, within thpir borders; but hitherto it seems that

it is in the United States that most attention to the menace haS been paid. The South American -countries are not so closely knit for action against the common enemy of Nazi Fifth Column activity as they need to be. Almost without exception they favour the cause of Great Britain and. France, with whom they would rather trade than the enemy, but no one can tell how deeply the insidious Nazi influence has penetrated, though New York newspapers with observers on the spotseem to be obtaining information that may make all Americans take more notice of conditions than they have done.