Good-&-Tough Neighbors

Last week in Madrid a full page in the Falangist newspaper Informaciones sagged heavily with the musty weight of Dr. Paul Joseph Goebbels' latest caution to Latin America about Yankee imperialism. But the text of this familiar theme had barely reached Central and South American shores, when Dr. Goebbels had got from Latin America new lumps for himself, for Fuehrer and for Fatherland.

In Mexico City President Manuel Avila Camacho's Government, following U.S. example, abruptly severed commercial ties by ordering all 15 German consulates in Mexico closed by Sept. 1, summoning home Mexican consuls from German-held territory on the same date. Earlier the Nazis had requested the recall of the Mexican Vice Consul in Paris and had closed honorary consular offices in Norway, Holland, Belgium and France, but Mexico's reprisal was stiffer than bargained for.

In Buenos Aires, peso-a-dozen rumors had it that the Argentine Government was about to wash its official hands of the Germans. There was a spectacular roundup of Nazi suspects, 30 of whom languished incommunicado in jail to face charges of siphoning off 95% of German Winter Relief contributions, piping the funds into propaganda channels.

German Ambassador Baron Edmund von Thermann was further embarrassed. Among 83 parcels delivered by Japanese steamer and labeled "For Personal Use" of the envoy, authorities seized a 60-page book listing 3,000 persons to shadow as "unfriendly to Germany." Next day the distressed Ambassador was seen in his garden, gazing pensively into a large pile of burning documents.

Cheering news to the London-Washington Axis was Argentina's purchase for $12,000,000 (not transferable till after the war) of 16 interned Italian merchantmen, totaling 88,000 tons. Most of the vessels will go on the U.S. run, releasing American freighters for lease-lend service.

Elsewhere in Latin America last week less spectacular but equally significant news indicated that many Good Neighbors were chumming up against Axis infiltration.

Colombia put several German suspects in jail. In Nicaragua many another found himself in hot water.

Chile not only carried out a Nazi roundup but considered opening trade parleys with Russian envoys seeking minerals.

Costa Rica found that Vichy Charge d'Affaires Paul Fisseux and Secretary of Legation Pierre Ducuron renounced Marshal Petain, embraced General de Gaulle.

Cuba had a field day, despite four bombings in Havana which wounded twelve and caused the arrest of 19 suspects. In addition to seizing the 3,335-ton Finnish steamer Koura and interning as belligerents the crew of 19, the Government completed its commercial rupture with the Axis, as of Sept. 5. Jailed were two more Spanish Falangists for possession of pro-Axis documents.

To complete the good week for the Hemisphere, the Republic of Haiti also announced withdrawal of its consuls from German-held territory, deprived Nazi consuls in Port-au-Prince of all privileges "for internal and international reasons."

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