Robert C. Hill '42, United States Ambassador to El Salvador, recently drove from that Central American republic to Washington to try out the muchpublicized Inter-American Highway. With his wife, two small sons and a nurse, Ambassador Hill made the trip partly to further Vice President Nixon's promise, made during Nixon's goodwill tour of Central America, that work would be expedited to finish the highway.
The Hills were able to negotiate all but a 25-mile stretch at Tapachula, Mexico, now under construction. This was "ferried" by loading the car on a railroad flat car and the Hills' traveling 164 miles by Coach before getting back on the motor route. In spite of other rough stretches, notably from the capital of Guatemala to the Mexican border, the 3,874-mile journey was completed in twelve days. Motels and food along the way were found to be generally excellent.
"We were wonderfully received," Hill said in an interview made in Washington. "People recognized the United States flag on our car and were most cordial."
It is his belief that before long people will be driving from New York or Boston to Panama, returning by boat, if desired.
Hill was named Ambassador to Costa Rica in 1953, going to El Salvador last year to succeed the veteran State Department envoy, Michael McDermott.