Thursday, November 16, 1967
UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
9
U.S. aid fails to stabilize Central America
United States military aid and intervention is not the means to stabilize governments in Central America. This was the conclusion of the members of a faculty panel discussion on Central America.
The panel, which met Wednesday as part of SUA World Affairs Week, was made up of representatives of three University departments; Robert Hinshaw, assistant professor of anthropology; Robert Nunley, associate professor of geography; and Charles Stansiffer, associate professor of history.
In his argument against military aid, Hinshaw pointed out that the U.S. tries to maintain the
status quo in Central American countries by backing the middle-of-the-roaders, "but the minute an effort to take over comes from the 'left' we (the U.S.) will back the 'right' to help them stay on top."
He said that in Central America all countries are unstable with a reactionary "right" in opposition to an increasingly "Castro-ite left." Hinshaw made these observations during three years in Guatemala (1963-65).
U. S. intervention has caused the governments to become increasingly more "right" and the people more "left," he said. The Central
American people want to work out their own government.
Nunley said that, while he can not justify U.S. military intervention, the U.S. should try to help remove ignorance in cultural and economic development."
While he was serving with the U.S. armed services in Central America in the early 1950's, the U.S. sent military advisors to every country except Costa Rica, and did very little to promote economic or cultural reforms, Nunley said.
However he feels two significant steps are being taken to correct this situation. First,he believes the Alliance for Progress is assisting education.
mon market, Nunley said.
"These people are helping the Central American people to articulate their needs, themselves," he said.
Secondly, the countries, with encouragement from the U.S., are trying to find regional unity. Steps have been taken in the areas of currency, setting legal standards and establishing a com-
"Our interest is best served if the people get what they want," he said.
Stansiffer said historically military intervention by the U.S. does not work in Central America. "Sometimes, unfortunately, lessons of history are lost," he said.
KU may be No.2 - BUT WE TRY HARDER