DIY History | Transcribe | World War II Diaries and Letters | W. Earl Hall correspondence, 1940-1945 | 1944-01-13 ""Chas"" to Mr. Earl Hall Page 2

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W. Earl Hall correspondence, 1940-1945

1944-01-13 ""Chas"" to Mr. Earl Hall Page 2 - Clippings

[evening world-herald]
EVENING WORLD-HERALD
1-11-44

Good Neighbor Policy Puts U.S. 'High Man on Totem Pole; Reports Hall
The test o the good neighbor policy is wheter it works. And it does work.
That's the conclusion of W. Earl Hall, Mason City, Ia., editor who came here to speak before the Tribe of Yessir at the Chamber of Commerce Tuesday noon. Hall is managing editor of the Mason City Globe-Gazette.
"A dozen years ago we were without friends in South America. We were least likes of the major nations," he said. "At present we are 'high man on the totem pole.' "
At the outset Hall emphasizes that he does not pretend to be an expert on South America. In 1941 the Carnegie Endowment foundation selected him as "typical representative of small city dailies," and sent him to South America for three months to study the politics, industries and agriculture of all the countries.
"I went down there as a republican," he said. "I probably would have been pleased to find that things were being bungles. But as a reporter, I could not say that was the case."
Hall refused to comment directly on the charges of boondoggling made by Senator Butter (rep., Neb.). He said he didn't feel he should come to Omaha to get into a cat-and-dog fight, but he doesn't think Senator Butler can back up the figures he has used.
"Some mistakes have been made. Those responsible will admit that," he said.
"But you have to look at the whole picture. You must remember that two years ago we held grave fears that Hitler might attack through South America. If he had done so he would have received engraved invitations from South America, for the people there had to have European business. We weren't counting the cost in those days."
Discussing the recent coup in Bolivia, Hall said it seemed pretty well established that the deal originated in Argentina and was fascist-dictated.
"In almost every South American country, whoever controls the army controls the government," he asserted. "So the government does not necessarily reflect the popular concensus. That goes for Argentina, too.
"There are republics in South America, but no democracies. There never will be democracies so long as only one out of four can read and write. Education will solve most of South America's toughest problems. We should do all in our power to provide education, even though it costs us a great deal.
"And we should quit regarding Latin Americans as inferior people. It is my observation that there is no difference favoring us that couldn't be explained 95 per cent on the basis of educational advantages we've had."

[picture of W. Earl Hall, black and white picture]
W. Earl Hall . . . defends good neighborship
[evening world-herald]

[morning world-herald]
MORNING WORLD-HERALD
1-12-44

South American Trip Showed Hall Defect in This Country's Education
W. Earl Hall, Mason City editor, a member of the Iowa state board of education, spent two months and traveled some 20 thousand miles in South America.
He didn't return an "authority" but he did learn one thing that was wrong with education in the United States--we don't have a second language.
Hall told about it in an informal address before the Tribe of Yessir Tuesday noon.
Nobody knows whether our second language is German, French or Spanish.
In Latin America they have a second language, though it isn't the same one in all countries.
Portuguese is the first language in Brazil, French is second, English is third and Spanish fourth.
English is the second language in all the countries where Spanish is the first language.
And in the lands where English is the second language--they really teach it. They don't wait until the pupil is in high school or college.
Children in the early grades are taught not merely to read and write it, but to speak and understad it, which is not the way children are taught a foreign language in this country.
One reason South Americans are eager to learn English is so they can understand talking pictures, which are more popular than the North American people.
Nine out of 10 South Americans want to see Hitler beaten rather than see America or Britain win, Hall declared.
The time is at hand when those who shape our foreign policy must decide whether the friendship and good-will of our hemispheric neighbors is worth what is costs, Hall told the Omaha Association of Purchasing Agents at the Castle hotel Tuesday evening.
"We can, of course, withdraw from our commitments below the Rio Grande and save ourselves some money, at least for the time being," Hall stated. "Is that what America wants?"
Hall said that in his opinion national self-interest over the long haul will justify what has been spent in Latin America and what must be spent in our endeavor to place our hemispheric neighbors on a higher economic level.
"We need Latin America on our side in the future," he said. "But we're not going to have it just by wishing for it. We are going to have it by treating Latins as partners, and the foundations for this essential relationship h a v e been laid in the present policy of inter-American good neighborship."

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[evening world-herald] EVENING WORLD-HERALD 1-11-44 Good Neighbor Policy Puts U.S. 'High Man on Totem Pole; Reports Hall The test o the good neighbor policy is wheter it works. And it does work. That's the conclusion of W. Earl Hall, Mason City, Ia., editor who came here to speak before the Tribe of Yessir at the Chamber of Commerce Tuesday noon. Hall is managing editor of the Mason City Globe-Gazette. "A dozen years ago we were without friends in South America. We were least likes of the major nations," he said. "At present we are 'high man on the totem pole.' " At the outset Hall emphasizes that he does not pretend to be an expert on South America. In 1941 the Carnegie Endowment foundation selected him as "typical representative of small city dailies," and sent him to South America for three months to study the politics, industries and agriculture of all the countries. "I went down there as a republican," he said. "I probably would have been pleased to find that things were being bungles. But as a reporter, I could not say that was the case." Hall refused to comment directly on the charges of boondoggling made by Senator Butter (rep., Neb.). He said he didn't feel he should come to Omaha to get into a cat-and-dog fight, but he doesn't think Senator Butler can back up the figures he has used. "Some mistakes have been made. Those responsible will admit that," he said. "But you have to look at the whole picture. You must remember that two years ago we held grave fears that Hitler might attack through South America. If he had done so he would have received engraved invitations from South America, for the people there had to have European business. We weren't counting the cost in those days." Discussing the recent coup in Bolivia, Hall said it seemed pretty well established that the deal originated in Argentina and was fascist-dictated. "In almost every South American country, whoever controls the army controls the government," he asserted. "So the government does not necessarily reflect the popular concensus. That goes for Argentina, too. "There are republics in South America, but no democracies. There never will be democracies so long as only one out of four can read and write. Education will solve most of South America's toughest problems. We should do all in our power to provide education, even though it costs us a great deal. "And we should quit regarding Latin Americans as inferior people. It is my observation that there is no difference favoring us that couldn't be explained 95 per cent on the basis of educational advantages we've had." [picture of W. Earl Hall, black and white picture] W. Earl Hall . . . defends good neighborship [evening world-herald] [morning world-herald] MORNING WORLD-HERALD 1-12-44 South American Trip Showed Hall Defect in This Country's Education W. Earl Hall, Mason City editor, a member of the Iowa state board of education, spent two months and traveled some 20 thousand miles in South America. He didn't return an "authority" but he did learn one thing that was wrong with education in the United States--we don't have a second language. Hall told about it in an informal address before the Tribe of Yessir Tuesday noon. Nobody knows whether our second language is German, French or Spanish. In Latin America they have a second language, though it isn't the same one in all countries. Portuguese is the first language in Brazil, French is second, English is third and Spanish fourth. English is the second language in all the countries where Spanish is the first language. And in the lands where English is the second language--they really teach it. They don't wait until the pupil is in high school or college. Children in the early grades are taught not merely to read and write it, but to speak and understad it, which is not the way children are taught a foreign language in this country. One reason South Americans are eager to learn English is so they can understand talking pictures, which are more popular than the North American people. Nine out of 10 South Americans want to see Hitler beaten rather than see America or Britain win, Hall declared. The time is at hand when those who shape our foreign policy must decide whether the friendship and good-will of our hemispheric neighbors is worth what is costs, Hall told the Omaha Association of Purchasing Agents at the Castle hotel Tuesday evening. "We can, of course, withdraw from our commitments below the Rio Grande and save ourselves some money, at least for the time being," Hall stated. "Is that what America wants?" Hall said that in his opinion national self-interest over the long haul will justify what has been spent in Latin America and what must be spent in our endeavor to place our hemispheric neighbors on a higher economic level. "We need Latin America on our side in the future," he said. "But we're not going to have it just by wishing for it. We are going to have it by treating Latins as partners, and the foundations for this essential relationship h a v e been laid in the present policy of inter-American good neighborship."