Evening star., 1922-04-02


postponement. Among other topics. n
included reports on the pan-American
railway, by which a traveller would be
able to journey by rail from New
York to Rio de Janeiro; recommends
tions and reports on a system for
trademarks: consular and commercial
affairs and treaties and the inter
change OF students between the
Americas.
SOME OF PROPOSALS
ALREADY REALIZED.
Since the fourth conference. how
ever. SO much has been done along the
very lines outlined for discussion and
action in the fifth conference. that
the old agenda needs revision and
possibly an entire change. The pan
American railway" needs only few
connecting links here and there be-
fore becoming a reality. A trade
mark registration bureau at Havana
now protects trademarks for north
reau. to be opened at Rio de Janeiro,
will provide like protection for the
southern part of the continent; a
number of commercial treaties have
been signed during the last few years
with the majority of the South
American republics. and a great work
has been done by the Pan-Amertcan
plan for the interchange of students
between the Americas.
The original program for the NTH
conference contained many other SUD-
jects for discussion which are still
timely for the present agenda. All or
cerning closer commercial and educa-
tional relations.
Should the conference decide. how
ever, to take up the discussion OF dis
pGtes between the American re-
publics or the question Of future
there are interesting possibilities. II
is hoped by the time the conference
convenes the old Tacna-Arica dispute
between Chile and Peru. and possibly
Bolivia's claims in connection with
this controversy, will have been dis
posed of amicably as a result OF
the forthcoming conference between
Chilean and Peruvian delegates in
Washington this month. But there
are other boundary disputes be-
tween South American and Central
American republics which might
some definite plan for their per.
manent adjustment
DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS
AN IMPORTANT THEME.
The question of diplomatic reTa-
tions between the American republics
may also find some place on the con-
ference agenda. This problem, as it
applies to the recognition of de facto
governments. is important for the
future welfare of all the small re-
publics, a case in point being the
present situation in Central America
resulting from the revolution which
unseated the de jure government Of
Guatemala. At time when Central
Americas prospects were bright for
union of all its republics, a revolution
overnight disrupted plans which were
about to mature after a hundred
years of effort.
Some common policy on the part of
all the American republics for the
recognition of de facto governments
has come to be a necessity. 1t would
serve to lessen the possibility OF the
"revolution"-which in reality, IS
nothing more than a successful DEM
onstration by political nalcontents-
so long identified with some of the
South American republics as a curse.
forever standing in the way of and
hazarding their proper development.
SEE A GREAT FUTURE
FOR CONFERENCES.
Perhaps the time has not come when
the injection of such questions in the
agenda of the conference may b.
made without serious danger OF
rupture which would undo all the
good 1t has accomplished and has
yet to accomplish along other lines.
The ties that bind the Americas must
first be strengthened by a friendship
and understanding. fostered by dis
cussions of the sort which marked
past pan-American conferences.
To those who hope to see the pan
American conference made an assem-
bly, for the frank and open considera-
of any question which stands in the
way of development in store for the
Americas, no matter how delicate
subject it may be, there is comfort IN
the fact that Secretary Hughes and
his group of advisers are men who
have the real meaning of panAmeri-
canism at heart, and who can ap-
proach the subject with an under
standing which will make their de-
cision. whatever it may be, the right
decision.