The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-12-09
AMERICAN NATIONS
PLAN WAR INQUIRY
Bryan Heads Board to Take Tn
Problem Dealing With
Neutrality.
NAY DRAFT WORLD RULES

wAsHiSGTnN Zee. s--Steps toward
concerted action bv tweNty American
republics regarding the definition and as
ser.ion OF their rights as ueutra's in the
European war were taken this afternoon
~. the meeting OF the governing body Ut
the Pan-American Union. composed pf
diplomatic representatives OF the southern
republics and the Secretary OF stat" OF
this Government.
Al the suggestion or Ambassador Naon
% Argentina, Secretary Bryan was IN
n.ructed TO appoint n commission OF nine
members Of the board with Mr.. Bryan
as chairman tx oilicio. 20 investigate the
problems confronting The American re-
publics as a result OF the war and report
20 .he board with recommendations
All proposals pertaining 80 the preeer-
,atInn Of the interests Of American re-
publics which had previously been sub
m,t,ed were referred to the commssi IN
Tor consideration This includes the sus-
res,ion OF the Peruvian Minister. Mr. Poztt
that a neutral zone be circumscribcd about
the Western Hemisphere from which bell
noerert operat,ons are TO i've excluded
The action taken at the meeting to-day
&, uriaue in that 1t is the iirst definite
action ever taken by the American GOV
.rnments looking toward their acting ~
unt with relation 80 the rest OF the world.
often they have sought unanimous action
IN regard 20 interests In relation To one
another bu. never before have any at
rcup's been made TO soidify the Govern
rnents on problems relating to Europe ana
Asia This union. IL Is believed. cannot
tail to influence action Of the United states
toward the other republics
Tonight Secretary Bryan named the
special comm. ssion provided FOR 10y IN"
board, as follows: Secretary OF state
BRYAN, chairman Ambassadors dd Cana
" Brazil, Suarez Of Chile. Naon OF Ar
,.entlna Ministers De rena of Uruguay
pezet OF Peru Cordova ~ Ecuador. Mem
hreno OF Honduras and Cespedes Of cuba.
This commission viii begin Its dclthera-
lions al once The only concrete propo-
sal now before the committee s that OF
Minister Pezet IN "A neutral Znn" ABOUT
the Western Hemisphere. The diihculty
81 the task ot obtaining the agreement
nf the beligerents 20 this proposition
IL regarded as !nsurmouutable. should
the belige.ents refuse to agree. the man
tenance Of the proposed neutral zone
would depend on force. and II Is not be-
lleved that the United states. the only
one having large naval strength, is
prepared to undertake such a task.
The proposal which brought action AZ
Inc meeting WAS Nlfl W fNHbdS'Ah''
Naon. Declaring that the rights OF the
belugerents ended where those Of n.utrdls
hegan the Ambassador presented d..
tailed argument in support of his pro
posal for a comm sS.un to ascertain what
can be done. which was much aru'aId'd
and unanimously iudOrsed. His resolution
IN part follows
"A special commission is hereby ap-
pointed to consist OF nine members. OF
which the Secretary OF STATE Of the United
States shall form part, acting as chairman
thereof ex oHlcio
This commission shall study the prob.
lcms presented by the present European
war and shall submit TO the governing
body the events It may Deem OF common
Interest"
The contemplated Joint action Of The
American Governments IL regarded here
as an attempt Ot a group Of ueutrals 20
do what the Hague conferences attempted
10 do for all the nations Of the world. both
possible bellgerents and ueutrals These
rules regarding the rights and duties OF
belligereuts and neutrals are now ADMITTED
to have broken down almost completely
through the failure OF the tcllgeycuts to
adhere to them in one way or another
II Is also pointed out that all the Amer.
ican Government, particularly the 'rit"i
States. must keep In mind the possibility
that II may itself one day hr u Aeliigrr,rt
and ought not therefore 10 s.gu away
belligerent rights which it might iu the fu-
turs wish to invoke or dcmAad of the
European belligrrtnts.