Inter-American Cultural Relations and Language Teaching

I AM GREATLY pleased, both as a representative of my Agency and as a long-time believer in possibilities in Inter-American cultural relations, to address this group on subject of our relations with Latin America. I realize that I am talking to persons whom a friend of mine in Washington always refers to as interamericanistas autgnticos, men and women whose interest in Inter-American cultural relations is long-standing and whose contribution, like perhaps that of no other group in country, speaks for itself. We have heard a great deal in recent months about the record, and I am sure that The American Association of Teachers of Spanish can, with pride, expose their record for whole world to see. There are, of course, other groups who have records, some very good records and some which are less good. But I have not come here this morning to praise Caesar or to discuss records. Now of all times, possibilities and problems of future must engage our attention and command our energies; and then at some later date we can perhaps meditate upon achievements of past. I am not at all certain that anyone thus far has provided us with a complete and satisfactory definition of cultural relations. I am sure that I am not prepared to offer one. But it seems to me that into any definition which I might endeavor to frame would come thought that such relations must have to do with people of countries concerned. Government and institutions may play their part; they can facilitate and promote bringing of people together, but relations themselves will have to be developed and maintained by those very people. This point is made because time and again I hear individuals speaking of Government's program of cultural relations, and I do not like term or inference made. It seems to me that it might better be called Government's program for fostering cultural relations; I sincerely believe that is all we in Government can do, and I am sure, too, that most of us in Federal Government who work in this area, think of ourselves as assisting in

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