Jesuit v. Eulogy

Many a U. S. radio listener, one night last March, heard the first program in a 13-week series sponsored by the Mexican Government Tourist Bureau to advertise Mexico as a vacation spot. Lasting 15 minutes, the program went out over 15 stations of National Broadcasting Co.'s "Blue" network, covering the States East of the Mississippi, North of North Carolina. Angel Mercado's band tinkled Mexican popular tunes. In English, an announcer blurbed Mexico. In Spanish, a singer recited a poem to a musical accompaniment.

Not until last week did non-Spanish-speaking listeners learn that, translated, the poem went as follows:

Oh--the night I spent there

At the side of a girl

Of graceful and regal bearing,

Firm and wide proportions.

Later she sang to me,

Interspersing her song with kisses,

Some war song,

To the accompaniment of my guitar.

And then my heart

With enthusiasm filled

As if at the call of arms

In conflict had engaged.

But my greatest pleasure

Was when she disrobed of her flowing gown.

Like a flexible branch

She disclosed her beauty

An early rose

Which had broken loose from its bud

Boasting of all its beauty.

Knowledge of what the verses were all about might never have been spread but for the alertness of a Manhattan Jesuit, Rev. Wilfrid Parsons, editor-in-chief of America. From acquaintances who heard the broadcast he learned that the verses were only part of a long poem called En

Elogio de Silves (A Eulogy of Silves), written by one Al-Motamid, an 11th Century Arab roue who lived in Seville. For Spaniards the piece parallels "Frankie & Johnnie." Further, Father Parsons learned that after the poem's recital the narrator sniggered coarsely, exclaimed: "But why go on? You know what happened!"

At once Father Parsons protested to NBC, which offered a number of explanations to the effect that someone should have been more vigilant. Father Parsons protested to the Federal Communications Commission, which started the motions of a routine investigation. Sixteen Catholic & non-Catholic Congressmen excitedly demanded that the Commission summarily revoke the licenses of all stations that broadcast the Mexican program.

Caught again last week in the crossfire of America's war on the Mexican Govern.-ment was God-fearing U. S. Ambassador Josephus Daniels. He, too, had been talking over the radio, not reciting racy verses but extending welcome to the U. S. Rotarians who are to go to Mexico City for their international convention next month. For his praise of Mexican flowers, landmarks and climate, Ambassador Daniels was roundly rapped by America which declared that, had Ambassador William E. Dodd done the same for Germany, "he would be greeted with a storm of angry remonstrance from Jew and non-Jew in this country; our Government would be importuned for his recall; he would, to say the least, receive a rebuke from the State Department for making himself a salesman. . . ."

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