Southwest High School - Roundup Yearbook (St Louis, MO)

Page 33 text:

ARE THE GOVERNMENTS OF SOUTH AMERICA Tl-IREATENED? By DOROTHY CANTONI . X Y, O UNDERSTAND the relationship between the United States 'iam and South America, it is necessary that we understand the ll el' HAZ' organization of the South American governments. Some of l-all ,tk lr i them are formed along lines similar to our own. I 'C' Brazil is governed under the constitution adopted on February 24, 1891. This document is described in the pre- amble as the Constitution for the Republic of the United States of Brazil, and a reading shows obvious influences of the Constitution of the United States. This type of government is called a federal, republican, representative form, and consists in the everlasting and indissoluble union of the former provinces of Brazil as states in the new republic. Like the American Constitution, that of Brazil contains a special section devoted to a declaration of individual rights. Most of the guarantees of indi- vidual liberty and property are familiar features of our state constitutions and the first amendments to our federal Constitution. The legislative power in Brazil is vested in the National Congress, subject to the approval of the Presi- dent of the Republic. The executive power is vested in the President as elective head of the nation. The judicial power is taken over by a Federal Supreme Court and in such inferior courts as the Congress may create. Argentina, commonly called the Argentina Republic, is governed under the constitution which was revised in 1860 when Buenos Aires entered into the Argentine Confederation. This constitution also provides for the federal, republican, representative form of government. The Argentine legislature is a bicameral body organized along lines closely related to those followed in the organization of our Congress. The executive power is vested in the Presi- dent of the Argentine nation. The judicial power is conferred upon the federal government. The written constitution under which Chile is governed was published in 1833 and established the principles of a unified government. The document includes a list of guarantees of individual rights. In the organization of the legislature, which is called the National Congress, the bicameral system has been followed. The supreme chief of the nation is a citizen with the title of president, and the constitution intrusts to the president the administration and government of the state. The constitution says little about the judicial branch of the government besides asserting its 'independence of the executive and legislative branches. Peru, Bolivia, Venezuela, Colombia, and Ecuador are also governed under their own constitutions which distribute the powers of the government among the three traditional departments. The governments of Uruguay and Paraguay follow the same procedure as do the governments in the other countries of South America. Twenty-nine

Page 32 text:

unskilled laborers are beginning to play a great and important part in the development of the cultural life of their nation. Heitor Villa-Lobos has been called the most significant twentieth century composer of both Americas. If the bigness of South America has prevented her from completely coordi- nating her creative life, the interesting racial mixtures have, to a certain extent, compensated her with a fascinating richness of color. The dominant national trait expressed in the people's contribution to South American art shows a deep concern in the interpretation of their own lands. The element of mystery seems to be a genuine characteristic, and this fact has often impressed the artists of other countries. From Louisiana and stretching across New Mexico and Arizona to Cali- fornia, there is a cultural background founded upon the influence of South America. To some extent the language, social institutions, customs, and archi- tecture in these states reflect this influence. At the same time in South America there is a trend to the modern in architecture, clothing, music, and techniques in painting, which reveals the influence of movements in the United States. Indeed the Americas have something to give each other. Each has some- thing of great value to contribute to developing a great Pan-American Art. . - 'Ei' .f: - ,,f5lfE33EfLQ , Q , .- , 1 Mk 55 ' V . ,. f,gg5 133 ff 1- 5' fc - , ,V if .W 1-Qgssfififtlllf - at x 'w s- , A' fw Wf'f' fe- -- 3 ' Lorcnc lV1lIiams Twenty-eight

Page 34 text:

So long as the South American nations cling to ideals similar to our own, the United States need not be concerned about foreign encroachments. With sympathetic governmental organizations, both continents will strive for the same goals and will be mutually helpful in their development. It is, therefore, important to us that South American nations follow the road to democracy. Too often, however, the presidents of the South American republics are that in name only. Strong men , who sometimes secure the highest offices under clouded conditions, manage to succeed themselves by virtue of a sympathetic army rather than by a contented electorate. True democracy has not yet reached all parts of South America. The United States can do much to help its develop- ment by assisting in raising the educational level of the masses of its people. Are the governments of South America threatened by subversive influences today? The fifth column is a military organization of German, Italian, and Spanish individuals, who are organized under the direction of their home governments for the purpose of extending the influence of these governments in Latin America. The activities are directed from Berlin, and the whole staff must answer to a chief of staff in Berlin. The system of the Hfifth columnists is fairly general all over Latin America. The organizer, together with his agents, has a card index of everybody living in South America who has family or business connections under German control. These people are interviewed and told what part of their incomes they must pay to protect the lives and property of their loved ones. Sometimes this payment reaches as high as twenty-five per cent of their incomes. Few of these innocent victims can escape. If they report to the police, there is the danger of this blackmail being carried out in Europe. The leaders of these fifth column movements have a rich field to work. South America has 2,313,000 people of German descent, 6,174,000 of Italian, and many millions of Spanish descent. In Brazil alone there are two million Germans-possible members of the fifth column. These people are not German born, but they are of German ancestry and will be influenced by the agents sent from Germany to carry on the work of the organization. Thus they are powerless to resist the drive to win a monopoly on South American raw mate- rials for Germany, and to provide a market for German manufactured goods. In this way South America would become a German colony. The South American countries are handicapped in their efforts to suppress these activities. The political situation in each country is different because the governments are based on the strength of the army. But if the German fifth column succeeds, it will mean the end of democracy in South America. And because the American business man will have to compete with the German government, it will also mean the end of American business there. If Hitler wins the war against Great Britain, the Americas can find safety only in unity. Thirty