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About Medford mail tribune. (Medford, Or.) 1909-1989 | View Entire Issue (April 21, 1963)
MEDFORD MAIL TRIBUNE, MEDFORD. OREGON Argentina: Contrasts Are Many in Nation SUNDAY. APRIL 21. 19S3 serious ltditor s mlt nij know Ihat everyone in Argentina over the age of 18 is compelled by law to vote? Or that Buenos Aires has more movies in its downtown district than anywhere in the world? Here is another in the series, "Nations of the World," written by UPI correspondents liv. ing and working there.) By MICHAEL FALLON United Press International Buenos Aires - (UPI) - Cat tle out number people two to one in Argentina. There are 42 million head of eattle pastured in the country, and 21 million per sons. The figures point up a curious condition. In an era of explosive population growth, the rich land of trie gauchos has shortage of people. Argentina is the eighth largest country in the world and second largest In South America. It cov ers 1.072,700 square miles - roughly equal to the part of the United States east of the Mississippi River. With all this space, there are only about 18 persons per square mile, compared with 4SI per square mile in the U.S. Population den sity is increasing at the very slow rate of 1.8 per cent a year. The northern frontiers lie near the Tropic of Cap ricorn, and southernmost shores are lapped by antarc tic waters. , The Andes form a 2,300 mile spinal column along the western border with chile. Mt. Aconcagua, which ' peaks at 23.000 feet, is the . highest point in the West ern Hemisphere. To the east are 1.600 miles of Atlantic and river coastline. Besides Chile, Argenti na's nearest neighbors are Bolivia lb the north, Par aguay to the northeast and Brazil and Uruguay to the east. Beef exports are the country's most important In terms of value. They , would have more value still I If Argentines were not the ' champion meat eaters of ' the world. One report has . each of them packing away 232 pounds of meat a year, i several cuts above an ' American's 152 pounds. As a wheat exporting na- tion, Argentina trails only the United States and Can ada. Its traditional best trade customer is England, but ' it does most of its shopping - particularly for machin- ery and vehicles - in the United Stales. 1 Argentina is far ahead of any other Latin American . nation in level of develop ment. Some economists feel il could conceivably stand stili for the next decade before being challenged by another Latin American area. Buenos Aires, the capital, is the larget city in the Southern Hemisphere. Buenos Aires probably ranks after New York and London in number of the aters presenting stage shows. There are about 40 every season. On Buenos Aires, "great white way," Corrientes avenue, and the next street, Lavalle, there are reported to be more motion picture theaters per square block than anywhere else in the world. Movie attendance is dipping, however, with the emergence of television. Provides Free Schools Eighty-five per cent of the people can read and w rite. The government provides free primary and secondary schools, and at tendance is compulsory up to the sixth grade. Tuition charges are token at the 10 universities. Argentina's economy is largely free enterprise, but telephones and almost all transportation arc operated by the government. They arc not models of efficiency. The country's form of government is similar to that of the United States. There are 22 provinces which elect their own gov ernors and legislatures and a federal, district, Buenos Aires, whose mayor is ap pointed by the president. Federal legislative power is vested in a two - chamber congress. There are notable differ ences, though, from the U.S. pattern. The president and vice president must be Ro man Catholic. Voting is ob ligatory for all men and women over 18. At the moment, Argen tina is ruled by an interim civilian - military govern ment. The military annulled congressional elections last year after followers of ex dictation Juan Pcron scor ed an impressive victory. The President elected in 1958, Arturo Frondizi, was deposed and replaced by Senate President Jose Ma ria Guido. Peronists still wield about 30 per cent of the vote, largely among the working class, eight years after the dictator's overthrow. The other parties are badly splintered. However, pow erful forces in the mili tary remain inplacably op posed to a return of Peron ism, through the polls or any other way. Thirty - three years of unstable governments and periodic dictatorships have left a deep residue of cyni cism, distrust and apathy. "How can it happen," be wildered Argentines fre quently ask themselves, "In a country as rich as this, with so much potential?" A 3 Consumer Credit Week To Be Noted Consumer Credit Week will be observed here April 28 1 through May 4 with members of the Mcdford Retail Credit association cooperating with the Credit Bureau of Medford. Clyde Gwaltney, credit Sales manager of the Ameri can Steel and Supply, Inc., will act as the general chair man of the Consumer Credit Week committee. Douglas E. Fosbury, president of the local association of credit execu tives, announced the observ ance plans. Other members of the Con sumer Credit Week commit tee are Twila Lantz. Thehna Allison and Wayne Medford. A special program is I planned for the Medford Re tail Credit association meet ing. Thursday. April 25. The meeting will be held at the Jackson House at noon. All j firms granting credit have ; been inv ited to attend. A proclamation calling at tention to the observance was issued by Mayor James J. Dunlevy. The proclamation urges all citizens to take spe cial cognizance of the need lo use credit wisely and to discharge credit obligations promptly. Contract Awarded for Rebuilding Facilities The local Pacific Power and Light company has announced that the W. H. Conrad com pany, Medford, has been awarded a contract for re moval of paving, sections of sidewalk excavation and re placement in conjunction with the removal and replace ment of conduit and wire serving the mercury street light system on Main St., Front st.. Central ave. and River side ave. Only your very best for "mom" . . . And "when you care enough to send your very best" you'll send MOTHER'S DAY CARDS Sunday, May 12 I BOOKS 'GIFTS 'RECORDS STARTS MONDAY! OUR BIGGEST broadloomC 1 llvv BriiBVHWwvHiH IBaHMI a.t'JNMl.leiNiitta.'.MirfcWiilaBiy.lr.diaLMtimJrl'ii ELEGANT CARPETING At Prices YOU Can Afford! Mere Are a few Choice Examples1. BRAIDED Oval Rugs! Many Ssses Colors LARGE STOCK! 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