The gentleman who wrote to The Public Forum of our considering a “Marshall Plan" effort to stabilize the chaos that identifies parts of Central and South America has made some rather confusing assumptions.
First, the devastation in Germany and other parts of Europe at the end of World War II had left no discernible governing authority. The United States was in control and had a clear intent.
First, to relieve the massive suffering that conflict had created. Secondly, to assure that another tyrannical form of governance (yes, the Comunist regime), would not quickly install a repressive control.
As for the United Fruit Company insertion, the improper involvement by that particular organization is past history. So to assuage the letter's writer's desire to economically ease the social and political problems in those locations, just remember, we've already poured billions in that area over the years. Right into the pockets of corrupt, Banana Republic overlords and dictators along with their drug cartel intimidated administrations.
We salvaged a brutalized European population as best we could. We did it for their benefit and, true, ours, in a world already fraught with political upheaval, global discord and the ambition of the disparate revolutionary. Until the people there rise and clean their own house, the faux humanitarian cries of the ultra-liberal will merely enrich the already entitled.
James F. Oshust
