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
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