THE AMERICAS: Ike's Eyes & Ears

When President Eisenhower set up his special National Advisory Committee on Inter-American Affairs last November, Latin America greeted the news with tongue in cheek. Though the distinguished six-man group* was formed to be Ike's personal consultant on hemisphere problems, some Latins wondered out loud if it would ever be heard from. Last week, as the President headed home from his ten-day tour of the continent, no one doubted that the committee meant business.

At each stop the Americans split into two-and three-man teams of eyes and ears for Ike to confer with Latin American leaders around conference tables, at luncheon and dinner. In Argentina, one group of committeemen closeted themselves for 1½ hours with Economy Minister Alvaro Alsogaray while another met with eleven top educators, heard earnest argument for more fellowships for study in the U.S. In Chile, the team of Holland and Milton Eisenhower listened to Chilean university heads explain their dilemma as a conflict between a developing nation's obligation to concentrate on technical learning without neglecting liberal arts. Said Finance Minister Roberto Vergara after a long meeting with Donnelly, Knight and Meyer: "They expressed opinions about nothing, but they asked about everything."

As Ike's consultants headed home, their baggage bulged with more than 100 lbs. of notes, reports, project proposals, statistical analyses. The tour, said Inter-American Affairs Chief Rubottom, who went along to act as vice chairman (chairman: Christian Herter) on this trip, should pay off indefinitely. "It is easier to have better understanding at each end if you know the man who will be involved." Added Uruguayan Shipping Magnate Manuel Lussich Lin: "They knew a little about us. We knew nothing about them. Now we know each other well."