Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1920-01-19
n REPUBL
MEET TO AID
.pAN-AMER|CA|
Neighbors From South
Gather Here for Sig
nifcant Conference.

Washington. Jan. 19.-Marked by
the presence of the leading flnan-
ciers and business men Of the q
republics Of the western hemi-
sphere. the second Pan-American /
financial conference opened here
today for the consideration Of fn- :
ternational problems.
President Wilson sent q message /
of greeting to the visitors, declar- 4
ing that Pan-America sought no
selfish purpose in assisting world |
reconstruction and would regard 1t I
as a privilege to fulfill the obliga- !
tions imposed by the great advan-
tages enjoyed by the people Of
these republics. Secretary Lansing I
brought out the same idea in adj i
dressing the delegates, when he (
said the Americas accepted the (
burdens thrust upon the new world |
by the war and would press for |
ward confidently to the future.
Speaks Of Moral Influence
Welcoming the visitors to the
building of the Pan-American
union, where the general sessions
are being held in the great hall Of
the Americas symbolizing the
peaceful friendship between the
republics constituting the union.
John Barrett, director general,
spoke of the unions moral influ-
ence in preserving peace and build
ing up commerce.
Secretary Glass, president gen.
eral Of the conference. occupied the
chair at the opening session, which
was followed by an informal lunch
con given by the federal reserve
board and the United States sec
ton. OF the international high com-
mission. This afternoon the group
committees from each country met
to organize and to meet the finah-
ciers and business men Of this
country appointed to cooperate
with them.
| In repsonse to the presidents
message of welcome, the Latin
American delegates expressed con-
fidence that the conference would
be productive of tangible results.
Guided by purpose to serve one
another and the world to the Ut
most, the president in his message
said:
The Presidents Message.
Gentlemen Of the Americas:
II regret more deeply than ! can
we'll express that the condition OK
my health deprives me of the
pleasure and privilege of meeting
with you and personally express
ing the qualification which every
officer of this government feels be-
cause Of your presence at the ma
tional capital, and particularly be-
cause of the friendly and signifi-
cant mission which brings you to
US.
II rejoice with you that in these
troubled times of world reconstruc-
/ tion the republics Of theSAmerican
continent should seek no selfish
purpose, but should be guided by q
desire to serve one another and to
! serve the world to their utmost,
The great privileges that have been
showered upon US, both by reason
of our geographical position and
because of the high political and
social ideals that have determined
the national development of every
country of the American continent,
carry with them obligations, the
fulillment of which must be re-
garded as a real privilege by every
true American.
No Idea Of Conquest
at is no small achievement that
the Americas are today able to say
to the world:
'Here is an opportune section
of the globe which has today elm
mated the idea Of conquest from
its national thought and from its
international policy
"The spirit Of mutual helpfulness
which animates the conference
supplements and strengthens this
important achievement OF interna-
tionai policy. I rejoice with you
that we are privileged to assemble
with the sole purpose OF ascertain
ing how we can serve one another,
for in SO doing We best serve the
world.
WOODROW WILSON"
Read by Glass.
i Secretary Glass, after reading
, President wills as message. well
coined the delegates to the confer
ence, which he said was destined
TO be fruitful OF important results
! in the interchange OF Information
between the officials and nnanciers
of the two continents. He declar-
ed IT was more and more necessary
that those in high places should
know one another, since the poll
, cies Of one nation vitality bear on
those OF another. @
Bryan b Silent
ii william Jennings Bryan. Was one
/ OF the carly arrivals 1t the confer
ence, receiving cordial welcome
from diplomats whom he met IN
/ the course Of negotiating arbitfa-
! ton treaties with their countries
when he was secretaryef state. HI
said he would not make . speech.
!, PASS SHOPS COUNCIL BILE.
n