Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-02-13

The Pan-American commercial confer
ence opens it's sessions in Washington to-
day. It is the first conference Of the kind
to be held and is intended to awaken the
commercial organizations, the business
men and the general public of both North
and South America to the importance and
possibilities OF Pan-American commerce
and trade.
Stretching from the Rio Grande south
ward, across the Isthmus Of Panama,
over the great valley of the Amazon,
along the vast reaches OF the Andes, as
far as Cape Horn and the Straits Of Ma
gellan, is a territory OF wonderful fer
tility and tremendous extent. 1t includes,
roughly, what is meant by the compre-
hensivc term Latin America. Nowhere
in the world can an equal area be found
that will surpass this in the wealth OF
its resources or the possibilities Of its
soil. The surface Of its development has
barely been scratched.
More and more, in recent years, the at
tention OF the United States has been di-
rected to the Latin American countries,
with their limitless but latent possibil-
ties in trade and commerce The ira
ditional hatred of the Spaniard and the
Portuguese for the Anglo-Saxon has been
in large measure overcome. The
best thinkers in the twenty Latin Ameri-
can republics and many of the best think
ers in this country have turned their at
tention to the problem Of how best to
knit closer the relations among all the re-
publics of the western hemisphere. To
recount all that has been achieved in
this direction would require volumes
But while much has been done, it is but a
small part of what remains to be accom-
plished.
Director John Barrett Of the Pam
American Union projected the meeting
which opens to-
Promotion of Trade day. One Of the
Its Chief Purpose. to promote com.
merce among all the western republics.
The conference was conceived in the be-
lief that it would be of advantage to
bring together under one roof large num-
bers Of the people Of this country who
want to know more about Latin America
and experts who can give them the
knowledge they seek. At the same time
to bring into contact with them Latin
Americans who are anxious to know
more about the United States. It is be-
lieved that the exchange Of ideas and in
country and to Latin Americans
Since James G. Blaine set out earnestly
in his great policy of promoting good re-
lations in the western world, the periodic
meetings of the Pan-American Congress
have had a perceptible effect in bringing
the republics Of North and South Amer-
lea closer together. The conference be-
ginning today is in furtherance of a work
that has received the attention OF nu-
merous master minds in the last two
decades. 1t was one Of the foremost
achievements of Elihu Root as Secretary
of State to put Latin America end the
United States on a firmer footing OF
friendship. With better relations has
come increased trade. Secretary Of State
Knox has pursued the same end.
But just now there are special reasons
for unusual efforts in this direction.
These special reasons relate to the OPEN
ing of the Panama canal. The time for
the opening OF the canal Is dra wing near.
II this great waterway proves to be as
useful as anticipated it will cause .
wonderful quickening of pan-American