Evening star., 1922-01-01
Solidarity of Western
Hemisphere to BE
Determined.
OFFICIAL CALLS
EXPECTED SOON
Conclusions of Arms
Farley May Lead
On Agenda.
ny JOHN BARRETT.

OH HScHAN'
ny JOHN BARRETT.
Former Director General of the Pan American
In the very near future there VIII
be official announcement that the
fifth international conference or
American republics will meet soon at
Santiago, the capital of Chile. There
is unanimous agreement among
North and South American diplomats
that this gathering VIII De the lios'
importaut in the history OF ran
American relations from the time Oh
President Monroe and Secretary OF
state Henry Clay to President Hard
ing and Secretary Hughes.
1t will determine. above all other
things. whether the twenty-one Amer
ican republics are to work together
in a future solidarity that VIII De
beneficial to them and all the world
or to conduct their political ana eco
nomic policies separately or apart In
a way that will be ever harmful to
them and the world.
or international congress OF American
states. as it was originally described:
met at Washington in the winter OF
1SS9-1S90. in response TO the can OF
President Harrison. Every American
nation was represented. and It's seS-
sions attracted world attention. 1t
was presided over by James G. Blaine.
then Secretary of State. His speech
at its opening meeting was repro
duced in all countries and in many
languages. AS result. 1t was tne
unanimous opinion of Europe that
new era of western hemisphere power
had dawned and that forever after
ward the world must take into con-
sideration the immense Dotentiailties
OF the united Americas and their soli-
darity of cooperation on any inter-
national question.
Pan-Americnn Union Formed.
The one great tangible result Of
this conference was the organization
of what was then described as the
international Bureau of American
Republics" 1t later became known.
after its reorganization in 1eO6-190I.
as the "Fan-American Union. and is
row recognized the world over as
most practical international office 1or
the promotion of peace. friendship ana
commerce IN the American sroup VI
nations.
The second Pan-American confer
ence was held in Mexico City in the
winter of 1900-1901. Every American
republic was represented. The United
states delegation was headed by ex-
United States Senator Henry G. Davis
of West Virginia, and included Will
liam I. Buchanan. former minister to
Argentina: Volney W. Foster of Chi
cago. Charles NJ. Pepper of Washing
ton, and myself. This conference con-
sidered many phases of Pan-American
CO. o-operation. but accomplished no
particular step forward.
The third conference was held at
Rio de Janeiro. the capital OF Brazil.
In 1905. 1t attracted world attention
because of the presence at ITS open
ing of Elihu Root. then Secretary OF
state. who continued his trip around
South America and later to Mexico in
the advancement of Pan-American
solidarity as desired and advocated by
President Roosevelt.
The fourth conference met at Bue-
nos Aires, the capital of Argentina. in
the summer of 1910. Henry White,
former ambassador to Paris and later
a member of President Wilson's dele
cation to the Paris peace conference.
was head of the United States dele
cation.
Reorgnnize at Rio.
The chief result of the Rio confer
ence was to effect a reorganization
of the Pan-American bureau and to
take steps resulting in the erection
of it's magnificent building in WASH
ington. which has now become a
"world capital" as the meeting place
of the armament conference. The
Buenos Aires conference decided that
this bureau should be known here
after as Pan-American organiza-
ton, belonging alike to all the Amer1-
can republics and not merely subor-
Of DpDaTtmpnt
of the United States. as it had been
generally regarded heretofore by all
the world.
Before the fourth conference at
Buenos Aires adjourned it voted unan-
jmously that the fifth conference
should meet at Santiago. the capital
of Chile at date to be determined
by the governing board of the Pan
American Union, composed of the Sec
rotary of State of the United states.
who is chairman eX offic1o. ana the
attn American diplomatic represen-
tatives. The original plan was that
this fifth conference should assemble
in the autumn of 1914. The world
war, however. came on unexpectedly
and the date was indefinitely post
poned. Upon conclusion OF the war u
was my privilege. as the then director
general of the Pan-American Union,
to urge it's meeting in 1919 or 1920,
but my efforts met with so little re-
sponse that nothing was accom-.
plished. Notwithstanding this official
apathy. 1 had the support of public
sentiment. expressed by the news
papers, of all Latin America.
Unfortunately, the United States
government was SO busy with other
matters that it took little or no In
terest in the possible holding Of the
American conference. and the
government of Chile, under these con-
d;tions. hesitated to take any active
step for its meeting. Since then the
matter has been in allegiance. and 1t
has remained for the great fnterna.
tional conference on the Limitation OF
and far eastern questions
TO give the inspiration for the early
calling of this much-delayed fifth
conference.
OyershadOwed by Farley.
Although the Latin American diplo-
matte representatives in Washington
voted unanimously to place the beau
80 DavH