LATIN CULTURE

Wairarapa Times-Age, 30 December 1938, Page 7

LATIN CULTURE

ITALY’S AMBITIONS IN AMERICA

RECENT DEVELOPMENTS.

PROPAGANDA AND OTHER MEASURES.

High Italian officials are constantly flitting to and from Latin America as part of Signor Mussolini’s attempt to make Rome “the heart of the Latin cultural world,” states a writer in “Current History.” It is claimed that half a million Latin American intellectuals already adhere to a great cultural league recently organised. Bearing the slogan: “For the. Cultural Empire ol Fascism,” a call has been sent out for a cultural congress to assemble in Buenos Aires.

During the past 75 years 5,000,000 Italians have emigrated to western shores. Two million, predominately from Northern Italy, have flooded into Uruguay and Argentina, until 56 per cent of all foreigners in Argentina are Italian. Probably a third of the population, including most leading families, can trace Italian heritage. Next to New York, Buenos Aires is the largest Italian city in the world outside Italy. A million and a-half Italians popu late Southern Brazil, and at least 35 per cent of the country’s 48,000,000 inhabitants have some Italian blood. Sao Paulo, industrial centre, is almost entirely Italian. In the north there are fewer immigrants, though many influential Italians are at work in trade, business, and propaganda. All told they comprise a cultural land and economic force, especially ini the wealth) temperate zone, part of South America, that some day may change the destinies of nations. >

The large Italian population in South America has given Italy a broad base for a strong steamship service. Thus the finest, swiftest, and cheapest passenger liners are Italian. Though Mussolini has not been able to utilise direct barter to the same extent as have Germany and Japan, the strenuous efforts of his government, aided by local Italian business men, and diplomatic pushing of favourable trade treaties, have resulted in commercial gains nearly everywhere.

Recent developments are likely to make Italy a heavy purchaser of Mexican oil, a lever for corresponding trade concessions. She has been particularly successful in obtaining trade privileges in Guatemala, and has won advantages in Salvador, Nicaragua, and Costa Rica.

Italy’s propaganda gains have exceeded those of any other nation. Her first goal was the conversion of all Italian settlers to Fascism. This was difficult, for many Italian immigrants are still definitely proletarian, active in the Argentine and . Uruguayan labour movements. But, little by little, propaganda and pressure has worked. The second goal was to convert the Governments themselves to the Fascist creed. A . Fascist agency, in Lima handles all Italian propaganda, fqi Chile, Bolivia, Peru, Colombo, and Ecuador. Other such agencies, secret or otherwise, exist in Mexico, Central America, Brazil, ahd Argentina. Various Italian-language papers are published in Brazil, Argentina, and Peru. Short wave broadcasts are sent out daily from Rome; two-way broadcasts are arranged; many local stations rebroadcast Italian propaganda. Much local time is bought. The broadcasting station of the official political party in Panama is a personal gift from Mussolini. The Italian Government has just erected a new short wave station, suipassing any in the world, in order to reach Latin America successfully. • One of' the latest Argentinians to go to Italy for aviation. study is Jorge Ortiz, son of the newly elected President. Salvadorean, Chilean, and Peruvian officers have also been sent to Rome to study aviation. The Chief of Staff of the Peruvian army is studying in Rome and buying munitions. Italians have made mass and single air flights to South America for commercial and military purposes.. Bruno Mussolini’s famous flight and General Balbo’s impressive expedition of 21 planes were highly publicised. An Italian airline has been long established down the eastern coast of South America, and the Government at Rome plans to establish a regular transatlantic service.

An Italian mission trains the Chilean air force, which has acquired many Italian planes. The same holds true for Peru. Salvador has bought four Italian bombers. According to Dr. Augel Morales, former Minister to Washington, the Dominican Government has secretly ordered several Italian war planes. Paraguay has purchased Italian bombers and scout planes. Before Mussolini came to pbwer he declared that Italy’s true greatness could never be fully achieved till the British Empire had lost its control over the major part of the resources of the world. In Latin America, certainly, England has suffered prestige and trade. Italy's programme in Latin America is thus part of her geneial plan of expansion. Her ambitions in South America may not be as grandiose as those of Germany, but Fascist leaders have said repeatedly that Italy cannot be ignored in any world struggle. In such struggle she expects her sons in exile to carry their part of the burden. There are indications that she also expects to find sympathy and assistance from half a dozen Latin American countries.