Diario las Américas Newspaper, November 11, 1956, Page 11

| GOLDEN ANNIVERSARY t A recent To any student of world histo- ry, the years since the beginn- ing of the century have been ex- tremely eventful ones: the in- vention of the airplane and ra- dio, which were to change the waye of mankind forever; two world wars, one to destroy old- fashioned monarchies, the other rotten tyranny; the hopeful but weak League of Nations, and its definitely stronger successor, the . United Nations Organization; the discovery of the wonder drugs Miguel Ang Cuba’s Ambassador to the U. S. has Completed 50 Years of Distinguished Services to his Counrty el De 1906-1956 photograph of Ambassador de ta Campa. and the Salk vaccine; the strug- gle between democracy and com- munism; and — overshadowing all — the gradual change in the international sphere of power from Europe and the old ways, to America and the new ways. And yet, how many of us are aware of the evolution before our eyes? To this young writer who was old enough at the time of Word War II to know a war waged on but not old enought to grasp ail the details, approaching His Ex- eellency Dr. Miguel Angel Cam- pa, Ambassador of Cuba to the United Statesl on the ocassion of his Golden Jubilee in the di- plomatic service of his country, was somewhat like opening a his- tory book and finding in its welll thumbed pages not the stilted language of a textobook, but vivid, picturesque impressions of events. The man who began his career November 6, 1906, as his coun- La Campa try’s 23-year-old envoy to the then capital of the world, Paris, finds himself fifty years later still at the top of the diplomatic ladder, as Ambassador in the new capital of the world, Washing- ton. The fifty years in between have found him as chief of mi- ssion in such cradles of history as London, Le Hague, Berlin, Rome, Tokyo, Rio de Janeiro and México, as delegate to interna- tional meetings from the Ver- sailles Peace Conference and the League of Nations to the First Inter-American Conference of Foreign Ministers, the Perman- ent International Arbitration Court, and the United Nations. He has also served his country as Under-Secretary and Secreta- ry of Foreign Affairs on various occasions. In the latter capacity, he presided over the Havana Conference of Foreign Ministers in 1940. What a treasure of memories this man must have! And will he share some of them with us? “The magnitude of events overshadows the _individuals”, Ambassador Campa tells us,. in reminiscing. “I rather wish I had been 50 years old then, instead of 23, though I would not forege the emotions lived at that age”. “The success of diplomacy 1956 is so difficult that it could almost be called terrifying”, he comments. “The physical con- trast between one era (1906) and another (1956) is even thea- trical”. Of his fifty years in the di- plomatic corps, Dr. Campa says simply: “One does many things. . and one does not do many things”. He began his career “at a time when America, north and south, was judged by its political upheavals and considered a sort v9f spoiled brat” and has seen it grow to “a position of great importance in the international concert of nations”. The twen- ty-one votes of America can sway many a parley and he would favor ever-greater unity amongst the nations of the He- misphere. He si particularly pleased by the renewed interest inthis country for our neighbors of Latin America, an interest which he finds has spread even to rural USA. His interest in hemispheric affairs is of long-standing des- pite the fact that most of his career has seen him serving in Europe. The pinnacle of his ca- reer, Dr. Campa feels, came in 1940 when he presided over the Conference of Foreign Ministers in Havana. It was here that the By EDNA BOWLES spirit of mutual defense of the Americas was established, when Ambassador Campa _ proposed that in the event foreign po- wer attempted to occupy any of the European colonies on the continent, the American nations, collectively, would defend them, As his memory spans the many Places he has served in, Ambas- sador Campa’s glance falls on the glass case containing the im- pressive collection of decorations awarded to him by some twenty countries, on display in the Em- bassy’s drawing room He re members the first one he receiv- ed, Knight Commander of the Cross of Italy, “when I was 25”, He later was awarded the. Grand Cross of the same Order. “But this does net mean that I have done great things”, he modest- ly says. “When you get to be my age, you ca collect medals very fast’. * But this man who will sooa be 74, who has nine grandchil- dren and will shortly be a great- grandfather, who has published many books and received many honors, is not content to dwell in the past. He is more interest- ed in what the future will bring, how he can best serve his coun- try in years to come. “I expect to live to be 125”, he chuckles,. “I am just halfway in my ca reer”. Last Tuesday, November 6th, marked the official anniversary of Dr. Campa’s fiftieh year in the diplomatie service of his country. “My only sadness”, he says, “is that my wife is not here to share it with me. She was a great inspiration in my career”, While his bride may not be here to share the occasion with him, we are certain that his mae ny friends in Cuba and thfough- out the world will be remember- ing him on his Golden Jubilee, as will his admirers in this coun- try where he represents his na- tion so well. And may we say, Ambassador Campa, that “great things” do not necessarily mean “big headlines”? Making friends for the peoples of your_native Cuba wherever you go, making friends for America wherever you go, are “great things”, and we would venture a guess that ypur many decorations were , awarded to you in recognition of your worthiness as a humag being as much as for your abb lities as a diplomat. You havé endeared yourself to all wh know you in this capital city Washington, and that, too, is @ “great thing”. “MERIDA, Yucatan — Here on this Mexican peninsula, just a short flight across the Gulf from the United States, is the Egypt ef North America — the ancient land of the mysterious Mayas. Once known only to archaeo- _legists and hardy explorers, the startling temples, -palaces and ‘pyramids have been reclaimed from. the tropical’ jungle. So fascinating have these antiquities become to tourists that modera hotels have been built at the two eutstanding ruined cities, Uxmal and Chichen Itza. Both are an easy drive from Mérida, a junction of Pan Ame- rican World Airways routes from New Orleans, Miami, Havana and Central America. Chichen Itza was the greatest ‘eity in the Mayas’ second and _ SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 11, YUCATAN PENINSULA IS AMERICA’S EGYPT last empire. These first inhabit- ants of America are believed to have migrated acress the . islands of the Bering Sea from Asia to Alaska, and thence south to what is now Guatemala and_ Honduras, There, hundreds of years be- fore Christ, the Mayas devised a ealendar more accurate than our modern one, developed an al- phabet, and built many great cities. For centuries, the Maya empire’s civilization — its art, architecture, literature, religion and pholosophy — was second to none. In the seventh century, the Mayas deserted their Central American habitat and began their last migration — to Yu- eatan. There, in the next 500 years their culture reached new 1956, vie heights and cities such as Chi- chen Itza, and their temples and monuments. far eclipsed their previous accomplishments. By the end of the 15th. century, the Mayas had disappeared, ap- parently victims of wars and pestilence. Outstanding iliustrations of Mayan achievements at Chichen Itza are the towering pyramid of El Castillo with its interior tem- ple and spectacular Red Jaguar throne; the elaborately-decorat- ed Temple of Warriors and its blood - chilling sacrificial stone, and the Group of the Thousand Columns, a tremendous colon- nade being restored by the Mexicam Government. The Mayas were sportsmen, too. There’s a huge ball court at Chichen Itza where teams play- REN aE: ed a sort of soccer - basketball for high stakes. The winning cap- tain could exact tribute from the spectators — jewels and cloth- - Joser forfeited his Nearer Merida is Uxmal, which contains the most beautiful ex- amples of Mayah architecture such as unique huge _ stone mosaic facades built without benefit of metal tools. Best pre- served of structures that date back to 100 A. D. is the House of the Governor, a long, narrow building rising on 2 three-tiered terrace. Am intricate array of finely carved human heads and animals adorn its walls. Magnificent also is the House of the Magician, a 100-foot high pryramid. Leading to the top are steps so narrow that climbers hang onto a chain. The view of the silent and ghostly city belew is well worth the effort. A six-day vacation to Chiches Ita and Uxmal from Merida costs a couple only $200 a | includes accommodations, all, meals and sightseeing. While Yucatan is one vast mw seum, visiters don’t have to be archeologists to enjoy it. It is 9 hunter’s paradise, with pheasant, deer and wild turkey in abund ance. The walled seaport of Campe che offers fine fishing. So doeg the unspoiled island of Cozumel, with its creamy beaches, exotie jungles, friendly villagers and unbelievably low prices. Yucatan’s climate is delightful especially in the winter. Visitorg are impressed by the imma culate appearance of the towne and the fine food. Pégina 7 é avg as