Charles A. Thomson, Chief of the Division of Cultural Relations of the State Department, and Pedro Henriquez Urena, Charles Eliot Norton Professor of Poetry, urged greatly increased American understanding of the cultures and interests of the South American nations at the first meeting of the Pan American Society of Massachusetts in Fogg Art Museum last night.

Thomson, after stressing that out lot is of necessity joined indissolubly with that of South America, asked for increased activity on the part of committees like the Massachusetts group and referred to the progress already made by the State Department in arranging for the exchange of students between the American nations.

"We can well be heartened by the growth of inter-American cooperation in both the political and the economic spheres," he asserted. "In the development of understanding between nations, persons are the primary medium of exchange.

"In line with this emphasis, the State Department has extended travel grants to a considerable number of distinguished journalists, novelists, and others. These visits not only provide the leaders of thought and opinion in our neighboring republics with an opportunity to correct many one sided and distorted views of our own country, but they also afford us an opportunity to modify mistaken notions concerning the other Americas'." he continued.

After Thomson had concluded that the problems confronting the Americas are not insuperable, Professor Henriquez Urena spoke on the necessity for increased understanding of the Latin American republics.

"We hear of the necessity of developing commercial relations. The important thing is really to know South America and its problems," he said.

Professor Henriquez Urena continued with a reference to South America's 133 year struggle for independence which was carried on by a group of patriots who had a great faith in civilization and culture." He concluded by appealing for greater contact with the civil and cultural life of our southern neighbors.

In connection with the founding of the society and Pan American day, an exhibit of South and Central American craftsmanship, lent by the daughters of Mrs. Edmund P. Graves, the Peabody Museum, and the Fogg Museum was also opened yesterday in Fogg.