Evening star., 1915-12-05
MI !

NAN 6lSCHIENOUS- Ihat is
% lMMI the word used by Senior
uNll Don Ignacio Calderon, the
SVo Bolivian minister at
Washington. in describing the prevail
ing notion of the A. B. c. idea in pan
American politics
Ever since the events leading up to
the Niagara conference of two years
ago the A B. c. idea-which many
Latin American diplomatists insist
originated in the United States-has
been much before the American public
1t has served to emphasize the growth
and stability of Argentina, Brazil and
Chile It has taught that these three
stand ready to help the United States
in a benevolent guardianship of PAN
American interests. sharing with the
United States the responsibility that
entails.
But from the Latin American coun-
tries not included in the A B. c. has
come a note of protest against the
people of the United States accepting
their own conception of the benefits
and beauties of the A. B. c. idea as cor
rect. This conception is held to be full
of peril.
One dav in October the governing
board of the Pan-Anerican Union met
In Washington. The board Is made up
of the diplomatic representatives OF ali
of the American republics. The pur-
pose of the meeting was to receive from
Robert Lansing, Secretary Of state of
the United States. statement OF the
facts leading up to the recognition OF
the Carranza government OF Mexico
At the meeting the following resolu-
fnty nj
of Peru seconded by Minister Calderon
Of Bolivia, and adopted:
The Pan-American Union expresses
its qualification and approval OF the
course adopted by the governments of
Argentina. Bolivia. Brazil. Chile. Guate-
r2ala United States and Uruguay, in
counseIing together upon the situation
IN Mexico and in acting identically in
recognizing the de facto government
of Mexico. in that it evidences the spirit
Of co-operation which Is the essential
element of pan-American fraternity"
Observe that here is no mention of
the A b. c. and that all the countries
are mentioned strictly in alphabetical
order, giving no higher place to one
than to another.
In the course of his speech seconding
the resolution. Minister Caideron took
the opportunity ito make public ac-
knowledgment of the spirit of sim
cerity, friendship and the perfect free
dom with which the nations in our
board have been consulted by the Sec
retary of State without reference to
the power of one over another"
Note the significance of the last nine
words
Now, Mr. Calderon happens to be the
senior member OF the Latin American
diplomatic corps He has served longer
at Washington than any other Latin
American diplomatist. His country is
not so large as Argentina, Brazil or
Chile, but il is larger than many. 1t
has a population of 100000. and an
area of 100000 square miles, which is
almost great as Mexico. and much
larger than Asiatic Turkey. Moreover,
IL is a stable country.
To obtain "A frst-hand exposition of
the Latin American opinion adverse to
the American idea of the A. b. c. theory.
an interviewer sought out Minister Cal
deron at the handsome home of the Bo-
livian legation. There. seated at his
desk In his library-the library mani
testify of student-the minister talked
of the subject SO near to his heart.
What he was asked, 'fs the basis
for the protests we hear coming from
Latin America against what We In the
United States have come to know as
the A. B. C. idea?"
known as an earnest advocate of
International peace, always a promi-
nent figure in the annual peace confer