Evening star., 1914-06-07

of which grew the bureau of American
republics, now known as the Pan-Amer-
lean union.
The idea of the conference was exactly
in line with the doctrine Senior Calvo has
been declaring through all Costa Rica.
he was sent to the conference as secre-
tary of the delegation from his country.
and took prominent part in the delib
erations. He saw the beginning made
toward the realization of his ideal. and
then he went back to the coffee planta-
ton and to his newspaper.
In 1892 Costa Rica sent him to the
United States as her delegate to the mon
etary conference of that year, and also
made him charge d'affaires of the lega-
ton here. Then came the Chicago
worlds fair and further opportunity to
idea" as it has been called. He was
made secretary of the Costa R1can COM
mission to the fair.
In 1896 his country accredited him as
minister to the United States and he
has been in that position ever since.
Is it to be wondered that the modest
Costa Rican legation on 18th street is
the center of Pan-American thought In
Washington and that this quiet, earnest,
slow-spoken diplomatist is much con-
suited by his colleag CUES in the diplo-
matte corps?
At the second Pan-American confer
ence, held in the City of Mexico in 1901
and 1902. Senior Calvo was particularly
active. This conference was the one
which reorganized the Pan-American
Union and made it the formidable and
active body it Is today.
In line with the principle of better
mutual understanding. at this confer
ence Senor Calvo brought about the
establishment of what is now known
as the Columbus Memorial Library IN the
Pan-American Unions palace in Wash
ington. This library contains now some
10000 volumes relating entirely to the
American republics apart from the
United States. Not only government
publications, but historical, biographical
and descriptive books as well. are in
cluded in the collection. The United
States was not included because 1t has
such a vast store of purely North Amer
lean material in the Congressional and
other libraries in Washington.
The Columbus Memorial Library is
considered the finest collection of Pan
American literature extant in North
America 1t is one of the means to the
end-"the development of commerce,
friendly intercourse. good understanding
and peace among the American nations
and peoples.
In 1907 Senior Calvo represented his
country in the Central American peace
conference of the year in the United
States. Again was he one of the most
prominent and active figures in the
deliberations.
Since then he has done very active
work in promoting the movement for the
confederation and union of the Central
American republics of Costa Rica, Saliva
dor. Nicaragua. Honduras and Guate-
mala. The first step toward this was the
holding of Central American conference
Six Of these have been held. one a year,
the latest being at Tegucigalpa. Hondu-
ras. last January. Year by year the re-
publics are growing closer together.
The idea Of confederation of the five
Central American states is by no means
new. Under Spanish dominion they were
embraced In a single captain-generalship
and so remained up to the time Of inde-
pendence. Then. from 1924 to 1S40 they
formed a united republic. but in the last
named year they began to divide mp.
Conflicting political ambitions and an