2^0  SELLING  LATIN  AMERICA
and  erect  invisible  and  effective  barricades
about  the  sympathetic  Latin,  sufficient  to  repulse ­
  the  attacks  of  other  salesmen.
Religion  and  political  conditions  should
never  be  discussed.  The  Latin  American  is
almost  always  superstitiously  religious  and  intensely ­
  political.  To  take  the  wrong  side  of  a
theological  argument  may  land  you  in  the  hospital ­
  while  an  error  in  judgment  on  a  political
problem  may  mean  jail.  Both  are  places  to
be  avoided  in  these  lands.  Besides  such  arguments ­
  always  serve  to  make  one  decidedly  unpopular ­
  and  materially  hurt  business  prospects. ­

Religious  processions  are  frequent  in  the
streets.  They  excite  curiosity  and  are  often
amusing  viewed  from  our  standpoint.  Do
what  the  populace  does  as  they  pass:  kneel  or
raise  your  hat,  otherwise  get  away  from  the
scene  as  quickly  as  you  can.  Many  clerical
parades  have  been  turned  to  riots  by  some  foolish ­
  foreigner  failing  to  observe  these  suggestions. ­

With  but  few  exceptions,  hotels  in  Latin