Correspondence _
A LETTER FROM BUENOS AIRES. -
[To the Editor of the SeEcniToit.] ' • -'• SIR,—Buenos Aires to-day is -living -hi: the glare of unusual publicity. She has been importing gold; and 'gold In large
quantities ; and nations,- like individuals, peculiarly susceptible to the magnetic attraction which the precious metal always seems to exercise. -Art May fail to win recog- nition ; wealth, never. To the lay mind the reason flit
shipping thiS gold -at a financial" lost anything but clear, but the resultant loss, as far' as the Government is concerned, might -justifiably • be budgeted to "propaganda abroad."
This month sees the close of an exceptionally. good musical season, which, for Buenos Aires, is saying much. At the Colon several new operas have been shown, one or two for the first time, and such novelties as Stravinsky's El Ruisenor, the itaurrection of FrancO'AlfanO, Chrisantherne, Beethoven's Fidelio (in which Eva Turner, the Erigliih soPrOio; took tlic name part), I Quatre Rusteghi by z: Wolf-Fetrari, as well as Humperdinck's fairy story of Hansel and Crete!, were included in the repertoire.
Travellers who return to BuenOs Aires -after a lengthy absence cannot' but be impresSed by the rapid strides made in the development of the city in recent years. Large blocks of six-floor flats, offices, palatial bank buildings, are steadily springing up, dwarfing to insignificance the small two-storey buildings common to Buenos Aires twenty Or thirty "yearS' ago. The completion of the rDiagonala avenida running diagonally through one of the most important "areas in the centre—will still further change the face of the city and enhance its beauty, apart from affording some relief to the enormous flow of street traffic which congests the principal thoroughfares at certain hours.
Politics, as always, claim a large amount. of public attention, the engrossing topic of the hour being the forthconiing Presidential elections. Several political elements will be represented in the struggle, but only two parties really count : the " Personalistas," who comprise the supporters of Dr. Irigoyen, the ex-President, and the "Anti-personalistas," headed by Dr. Alvear. Election results mean so much to the politicos that feeling will assuredly run very high as the momentous time draws near,_ and the sober business elements adopt a policy of " marking time ". until -
position is more clearly defined. "
Argentina to-day, looked at from the Viewpoint of natural resources, is one of the favoured nations of the earth. She has just- completed one of the biggest export years. in . her history ; imports have been comparatively IOW ; she . can borrow money with the utmost ease ; and if the national . expenditure were kept within bounds of a reasonable. revenue • her future would be aSsured.—I am,. Sir, ke.,.. .
• YOUR BUENOS AIRES CORRESIMNDENT:p.
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