24 NORTH SHORE BREEZE and Reminder 
BROTHERHOOD MEETING _ 
Rocer W. Basson RELATED EXPERI- 
ENCES IN CENTRAL AMERICA AND 
ToLp oF BUSINESS PROSPECTS. 
PROPHECY- of. the’ ;future. of 
America’s relations with the Lat- 
in-American republics was made by 
Roger W. Babson in his address to 
the Brotherhood in the _ Baptist 
church, Manchester, Monday evening. 
Instead of closer relations in com- 
merce and diplomacy with the larger 
nations of South America, Argentina, 
Brazil and Chile and possibly Peru, 
Mr. Babson predicted that the coming 
years would see a wider separation 
from us on the part of the ‘A-B-C-” 
powers. On the other hand he predict- 
ed that between the countries of Cen- 
tral America and the United States a 
closer bond of unity would be brought 
about if we profited by our mistakes 
in the Latin-American republics. 
in the other Latin-American republics. 
America is not very highly regarded 
by the people of the southern repub- 
lics, who distrust our intentions 
toward them. Mr. Babson said that 
it was the duty of Americans to cor- 
rect by their future conduct these 
misconceptions. 
Mr. Babson has just returned from 
a tour of the Central American re- 
publics where he went on a mission 
for Secretary of the Treasurer Mc- 
Adoo. Speaking of the Monroe Doc- 
trine he said that originally it meant 
the United States would not stand for 
foreign nations having a military or 
naval station on this continent. Then 
these countries got in debt and Eu- 
ropean nations, who financed them, 
sent over warships to collect. When 
this country interferred the creditors 
asked the United States to assume 
the responsibility of payment. The 
present state of the Monroe Doctrine 
is that we maintain a paternal inter- 
est in the affairs of the southern re- 
public and they make no international 
agreements without our approval. In 
the future, so far as the larger coun- 
tries are concerned, less will be heard 
about the Monroe Doctrine, but the 
smaller nations will come more and 
more under our supervision, in Mr. 
Babson’s opinion. 
Mr. Babson told of his visit to 
Colombia and of the attitude of the 
people toward America. Children 
in the schools are taught that we are 
a nation of robbers and that we stole 
the Panama Canal territory. The 
payment of the $25,000,000 proposed 
in the recently adopted treaty will do 
much to relieve the tension in our 
relations with that republic, he said. 
Colombia is rich in rivers, which are 
chiefly used for transportation. Land 
and labor is cheap and its principal 
port, Cartagena, is handy to New 
York. It is easier for other South 
American nations to trade in Europe, 
but Colombia presents opportunities 
for Americans. 
In Costa Rica a greater percentage 
of the men own their own homes 
than in any country in the world, Mr. 
Babson said. The people are pros- 
perous and their moral standards are 
high. In Honduras, the largest of 
the Central American republics, con- 
ditions are just the opposite. There 
are only 600,000 people in this large 
country and they are very indolent. 
The country is immensely rich in re- 
sources. 
Nicaragua has little regard for the 
United States, Mr. Babson said. For 
the past four years United States 
marines have patrolled the streets of 
the cities and had it not been for their 
presence the recent treaty signed by 
the two nations would not have been 
ratified. American marines stood 
over the natives as they voted, he said. 
We are unpopular because our mar- 
ines are supporting the minority party 
which is in power. 
Salvador is the most advanced of 
the little republics which are coming 
more and more under the control of 
the United States. It has been called 
the “Germany of the, Western Hemi- 
sphere.” Its people are highly eff- 
cient, prosperous and moral. 
Guatemala was the country de- 
scribed most at length. It has every 
variety of climate to be found in the 
United States and as great a variety 
of crops. Labor-is very cheap, but 
living conditions are in accord. Mr. 
Babson hired a man to carry his bag- 
gage over a trail when he was com- 
pelled to make a trip on mule back 
for 200 miles. At the end of a thirey 
mile walk with the heavy luggage on 
his back the man was glad to receive 
ten cents. He then fed himself out 
of the money and walked back home 
thirty miles. Another carrier was 
late in reaching a train with the bag- 
gage and when Mr. Babson returned 
three days later he found that the 
man had been kept in jail until his 
return. The officials would not al- 
low him to pay the man anything for 
his services because he had been late. 
Guatemala City, the capital, is 4800 
feet above the sea level and the cli- 
mate is very temperate. Among the 
prices prevailing in the republic were 
the following: Porterhouse steak, 1o 
cents a pound; green peas, Io cents a 
peck; eggs, 6 cents a dozen; street 
car fare, one-half cent. Telegrams 
may be sent anywhere in Central 
America for five cents. The prices 
of imported articles are extremely 
May 5, 1916. 
high. Taxes are six dollars a thou- 
sand and the property is assessed for 
one-twentieth of its value. 
“To solve the high cost of living 
you should work in Manchester day 
times and sleep in Guatemala nights,” 
said Mr. Babson. The country is 
favorable to development by Anier- 
icans and there are good oppor- 
tunities for investment. He counsel- 
ed against the exploitation of the 
country, which has been the curse oi 
the other Latin-American republics. 
He was in an earthquake while in 
Guatemala City. Mrs. Babson made 
the trip with him. 
At present the business opportun- 
ities are in the larger republics, but 
after the war they will be competitors 
with us and there will be a question 
of the advisability of going into these 
countries to invest . Guatenala, he 
said, was the least developed, the most 
temperate, was nearer the United 
States and was eventually coming un- 
der our doniinion. 
Concluding Mr. Babson said: “We 
will lose the big republics, but we will 
gain the little ones as friends. If you 
go into them to do business, go with 
the spirit of service and development, 
not of exploitation. Put in as much 
as you take out. In the end you will 
get only what you put in.” Drawing 
a lesson from the varied cost of labor 
and living in Guatemala he said: 
“The high cost of living goes with 
high wages. You can’t eat the pie 
and have it too. Labor can never 
get more by decreasing production ; 
it is only by increasing production 
that we get more.” 
Mr. Babson has spoken to the 
3rotherhood on many previous occa- 
sions, this being his seventh appear- 
ance. There was a large attendance 
and many friends in the audience 
sought him out afterwards for a 
pleasant chat. Mr. Babson’s son, 
Curtis accompanied him to Manches- 
ter and was used as a “model” by 
Mr. Babson to exhibit some native 
costumes. 
No Frower SHow Tuts YEAR. 
The North Shore Horticultural so- 
ciety does not propose to hold a 
flower show this season—the first 
time in the history of the organiza- 
tion. The society is putting all its 
efforts into its new home at Manches- 
ter, plans for which are now being. 
prepared. The building site is on 
Summer st., about opposite the rail- 
road station. When plans are ready 
they will be printed in the BREEzE 
and details given. 
EK. A. Leth- 
adv. 
Ferris Waists at 
bridge’s. 
