| Show U. U S. S Appeals For Vigilant I America Pan ica I I Lima Linia Conference Opens I Amid l Trade Overtures of Dictator Lands By JOSEPH W. W LaBINE For several thousand miles south of the Rio Grande lies liesa a n chain of nations whose political political po po- po- po and economic experience experience ence is minimized in the average average average av av- av- av i United States mind This Tills is Latin America With the United States itself these nations of the Western hemisphere hemisphere hemisphere hem hem- of both North and South America form what men have chosen for years to call Pan Right now the leaders of Pan-America Pan are meeting in Lima Li a Peru for their eighth conference designed to solidify solidIfy solidify solid solid- the Western hemisphere into a solid bloc of friendly nations In 1933 when last they met these men could discuss their subject calmy Balmy sincerely and without tear lear This year it Is II different different differ diller ent because the dictator nations of Europe and Asia are threatening Latin Americas America's security This threat has haa been growing with every month and to a large group of American citizens it makes make the United States States' Pan-American Pan policy as voiced by President Roosevelt and Secretary of State Cordell Hull seem eem selfish and unrealistic These are strong charges Selfish Unrealistic Under the Monroe doctrine WashIngton Washington Wash Wash- ington has haa promised to defend any Latin American country from European European European Euro Euro- or Asiatic aggression and to exercise a parental Interest over our younger democratic neighbors neighbors neigh neigh- bors bOn to the south This was no more than any smart business man would have advocated for by guaranteeing guarantee guarantee- ing South America Americas integrity we protected our own commercial interests interests in in- in tn Pan-America Pan and eliminated the danger of aggression from the south Some men railed called this selfishness and dollar diplomacy President Roosevelt's policy is substantially the same lame but it is II not selfish Since the rise of and Fascism since Japan became a dominant world power South America Amer Amer- ica lea has haa been Infiltrated with Our trade with Brazil for example has dropped below that of Germany The dictator nations nation are attempting to fasten an economic grip in the Western Hemisphere and this would certainly have a 8 apolitical apolitical political influence As AI a world power the United States State has a right and obligation to defend both the principles of democracy and its It trade with foreign nations But Dut there may be some lome truth in f r e r k 0 1 r 55 4 t M r 7 III i ej Ih ve y 1 a n wa RIGHT OR WRONG one WRONG One of o othe the he greatest statesmen ohi of o hit hla hi day Cordell Hull now note bends bend hit his e efforts effort or to 0 winning Pan American Critic fearing inroad inroads already made by Germany Italy Ialy and Japan in the he theand lands land to fo our south charge Mr JUr policy it u charges charge that the Roosevelt-Hull Roosevelt policy polIcy policy pol pol- pol- pol icy is unrealistic We claim to be defending the democratic nations nation of South America yet et democracy has haa already flown from several of these countries Mexico which has haa never been active in tn Pan-American Pan affairs lives under a communistic dictatorship that has baa seized American American Ameri Amen can farm and oil oU lands A leftist regime has recently taken possession possession posses posses- sion Ion of Chile Brazilian and Dominican Domini Domini- can governments both exhibit dictatorial dictatorial dicta dicta- tonal tend tendencies of one sort or an an- other Just how bow such luch nations can be banded into a Pan-American Pan union for defense of democracy is hard to understand yet et the resolute and sincere Mr Hull is striving for tor that very objective Though admittedly idealistic he has haa accomplished great things with the reciprocal trade treaty program under which 20 pacts have already been signed The Hull HuU aim is lIto to break down international inter Inter- national trade barriers and br bring brg g about greater stabilization of world currency U. U S. S Seeks Seek Hemisphere Defense Unlike most conferences of its kind this thil year years Pan-American Pan meeting is II not dealing with generalities general general- lUes Ines and platitudes platitude It will settle among other things the boundary dispute between Peru and Ecuador In this connection the union can gloat over its It successful arbitration of the Gran Chaco dispute between Bolivia and Paraguay settled only a few weeks ago But the bulk of Interest will center center center cen cen- ter around developments following in the wake of ot Germany Germanys aggression and her persecution of Jews As A. an upshot of this threat to world security President Roosevelt Roosevelt Roosevelt Roose Roose- velt plans plan to ask congress for funds to throw a ring of defense around the entire Western hemisphere an rearmament program that would require five dve years yean for consummation He proposes that Central and South American countries countries coun coun- tries shall operate co-operate in tn providing operation bases for United States naval and aviation units Hull BuD Stresses Diplomacy Mr Hull who leads the American Ameri Amen can delegation to Lima has hll not committed himself definitely on this rearmament program In fact he is II not expected to mention military preparedness preferring instead to urge amendment nt of the Western hemisphere consultation pact adopted at the Buenos Duenos Aires Alre peace conference of 1936 1938 Under the Hull plan a permanent committee of ot foreign foreign for for- eign ministers from each Pan- Pan American country would be empowered empowered empowered ered to consult immediately by telephone telephone tele tele- I phone i or meeting at any anytime anytime time a threat to American peace is II I imminent I Though idealistic Mr Hull has hll suffered enough disillusionment disillusionments I from treaty breakers breaker the past few I years year to know that signatures and pledges pledge mean very little In tn them selves elves But Dut he be does know that the United States State has seldom been forced to reprimand another Pan- Pan American nation for violating its solemn pledge Hence he be believes believe the Western hemisphere peoples people have a common bond and are willing willing will will- ing to live together peaceably Unrealism Again But Dut this say his opponents is where Mr Hull uses the wrong tactics tac tac- tics It is fine to shake hands smile mlle and make speeches peeches about brotherly love but is it a sufficiently aggressive aggressive aggressive sive policy polley to counteract and the economic encroachments encroach h- h ments meats of dictators One of the state stat departments department's chief critics in this respect respect re re- re- re is Carleton Beals whose The Coming Struggle for Latin Latin Latin-Ameri- Ameri Ica lea was recently published by J J. J P P. P Lippincott company of Philadelphia Most South American nations says Mr Beals Deals believe Germany it is the coming world power because it has haa gone to every corner of the earth to tap markets and make alli sill ances ancel There are today more Germans Germans Ger Ger- mans than Americans in South America and the Germans German are more popular This situation has resulted from propaganda formation forma tion of bunds and activities of the dreaded German Gestapo or secret ecret police Every da day South American nations are deluged by world press reports emanating from om government radio stations in tn Berlin These reports reports re re- ports lose not a single lingle opportunity to glorify totalitarian states tate to the discredit of democracies Yet Mr Beals Beals' proposed solution solutionis is not far from that of Mr Hull Mull The barrier to dictator propaganda will not be American counter propaganda propaganda propaganda ganda our trade counter-trade drive nor our sale ule of American munitions in tn inthe inthe the name of peace Instead he says say the barrier lies in the natural patriotic resistance of the Latin Latin- American people and governments to outside meddling the real bulwark in Latin-America Latin against alien ideologies including our own is I. the people themselves e C Western Newspaper Union Ulon |
