The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1921-12-19
By DAVID LAWRENCE
Especial Despatch to The Reformer)
CnnXright 1921

Copyright 1921
WASHINGTON, Dee 19-President
Harding has decided to call into action
the ASSOCIATION of American nations.
| The occasion for the call happens to
| be that the government of Guatemala
| shall be recognized, but this really Is
vehicle for a Pan American understand
| ing on other matters of general concern
to the nations of the western hemis-
/ phcre.
Ever since the armament conference
was summoned and newspapers began to
! look upon the gathering of the principal
allied and associated powers as sort
| of executive committee, which would
manage the affairs of the world, the
countries in the American continent
have felt sighted. They were not IN
vited to the Washington conference
lTheir only contribution to it was the
/ use of the Pan-American union build
ing for the conference committee.
| President Harding has from the start
/ had in mind a policy OF closer associa-
/ ton between the two Americas as
sort of substitute for the inclination OF
the last administration TO busy itself
! with European affairs. The greater IN
| terest of the United States, he has in
dicated. lies southwark and not cast
ward
Made Some Apprehensive
| Yet the press of other matters has
! caused INN to divert to other phases OF
/ foreign policy. The conclusion of the
four power treaty relative to islands In
the Pacific stretching 1000 miles west
OF American coast has made some South
1 Americans appTehensive that Mr.. Hard
! ing like his Predecessor. has stTayed far
ateld and that he might neglect the al
fairs of Central and South America.
Mr. Harding has let 1t be known that
he has not forgotten. In fact, he has
limited that an affirmative policy Is IN
course of preparation which shall assure
Eunity of action by the countries of this
hemisphere on all matters OF American
IcoHcern. The deepest interest attaches
Ito this move for it will be recalled that
while the South American countries have
ell Joined the league of nations some of
them dIsfaYOT the last meeting OF the
iasscmblV because of a belief that the
Ialoofness of the United states should be
needed BY them. Mr.. Harding usually
lrefers to the league itself as the - Euro
pean league of nations and while he
Insists that the United States has not
EsoUght to induce any nation to withdraw
from the league. the Washington gov
lernpcnt has not failed to show its dis
favor the moment any American ques-
liiou was taken up by the league. The
tdepartm of state really prevented
tihe league from taking cognIZance of the
Costa Rica Panama dispute. The con
Itroyersv between Chile and Peru about
boundaries has been before the league
tonlv to have it pigeon-hOled. for the
United States might rot like it. De
malls and CONFERENCE.-The We're entered
| hat the Washington government had
offered no objection and had indeed sug-
feested that this dispute go before the
league.
Formula In Part
/ But aside from the live questions
| which are straining relations between
! various countries in this hemisphere,
the question Of recognition in Guatemala
! and a similar question on Mexico, the
| idea of a an-American understanding
! arises out of Mr.. Harding = conception
| t regional associations of nations. Eu-
ropes league is one thing. The creation
| of Pacific league of nations a. en-
| bodied in the four power pact j. an
| other Now the American association
| of nations i TO be revised so it may
| have accomplished and precise objects.
| Mr.. Harding believes international con
! ference should be summoned to settle
| specific things in particular regions of
I the globe. In line with that idea, he has
| called the principal nations concerned
I INTO separate meetings. VIII he ask all
! the p republics of Central and South
! america to get into a single conference;
| ! hat has been the formula of the past
| aad has involved difficulties because it
| "laeed large nations like Argentina, Bra
| III. Chile, Peru. on q footing of equal
| Influence with Haiti, San Domingo or
/ Nicaragua. The chances are that there
| sJill lie groups analogous to the ''princi-
! nal allied and associate powers - with
| "crhaps 4 rotating personnel so as to
/ take care of the interests of the smallev
/ natjUns but in any event a smaller group
! tan has heretofore been organized for
| ne discussion of Pau-American affairs.
Mexican Recognition Destined
! Although Guatemala is for the mo-
| nlent the subject of consideration the
| question Of recognition in Mexico is des-
4 tined to become a Pan-American affair
! again. The last administration hesitated
! long about recognizing CarranZa and fl
/ nallv summoned the six ranking diplo-
matte representatives in Washington of
/ the Central and South American coun-
tries before deciding whether conditions
/ cf recognition had been fulfilled. The
nited States government, under the
/ Harding administration, may do the
! samp- .thing-namely, lay all the facts
/ of its controversy with Mexico before
Il :. Pan-American meetirg. In the event
! Of an adverse or. favorable decision with
rnsnect to the Ohregon government. the
/ rolicy would be the result of a general
a"cord instead of individual reSponsi-
4 hiiitv When Pacific and Far Eastern
\ Questions are disposcd of. the Harding
administration s next step in foreign
rolicy Is toward the South
According to an old belief if the fire