REPRODUCED AT THE NATIONAL ARCHIVES DECLASSIFIED Authority Stateletter Mhz by ME, NARA Cate 24981 months radio station La Voz de la Democracia (The Voice of Democracy) has granted the organization a free half hour on the air between 7:00 and 4:30 every Thursday evening.
Various speakers of the Centro utilize this time to discuss current topics; tae talks serve to supplement the articles wiiich appear in the press, and are generally concerned with sinilar themes. Also, because the Centro has been increasingly critical of the present administration, the radio station Titania, which is again in operation after the attack on it of a few months ago, has granted the Centro the privilege of using its microphone at any time it wishes. No charge is piade for any time so used by the Centro.
It will be seen from the above that the Centro has successfully assured itself a hearing through the various media available. Through press, magazines, books, and radio its message is carried to a growing audience. It is hoped, of course, by the Centristas that eventually their audience will be sufficiently enlarged and that positive action favorable to their cause may result.
POLITICAL IDEOLOGY OF THE CINTRO The general political orientation of the Centro might be said to be slightly Left of Center. Its complexion nay perhaps best be described as Nineteenth Century Liberalism partially modified by scientific Socialism. Tor, as its name indicates, a fundarental tenet of the movement is that all political and economic phenomena are to be scientifically studied before the course of the body politic is to be charted.
Implied, moreover, is a faith in the dignity of man and the need for freedom and equality for all men. gain as its name indicates, its rain field of interest is Costa Rica; while world events and movements are closely followed, they are not of interest per se but rather are studied with a view towards their probable influence on, and possible integration with, the Costa Rican scene. Thus we may quickly sketch the position of the Centro in regard to world affairs.
saa First of all it should be noted that its attitude is. warmly pro American. In part this is explicable by the fact that many of its members have either studied in the United States or have at some time lived there. And because they are well educated and intellectually curious they are femiliar with, and to some extent naturally influenced by, the best recent Anerican Liberal thou zit. Being young, they have grown up in the Era of the Good Neighbor, and are appreciative of the United States recognition of the coming of age of Latin America. Nonetheless, this attitude does not preclude their looking critically at any activity of ours which might be construed as an attempt to buy friendship below the Border.
Their disapproval of the traditional Yankee Imperialisma will be discussed below.
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