Evening star., 1923-05-06
DISASTER NOT INVOLVED
In FAILURE AT SANTIAGO
Pan-American Congress Bit Off More
+ Than 1t Could Chew, But Did
Not Choke to Death.

America came TO Santiago with chips
on their shoulders. Now disarma-
ment will be made a campaign issue
in Argentina and Brazil, and politi-
clans will make capital of it, with
the usual effect of hindering con-
concerted action among the nations
| themselves.
Met Expected Fate.
| The failure Of the Uruguayan pro-
posal for a American league was
| foreordained. 1t met a cool reception
| when first introduced before the gov
erning board OF the Pan-American
Union. which drew up the program
| for the Santiago conference. and it
| failed to gain in popularity at Santi-
ago. The reason for this failure
and this would apply to other at
tempts at alliances modelled on the
European league of nations idea
among the American republics-lies
| in the fact that the American repub-
lies. by virtue of their pan-American
/ policy, have long constituted what is.
virtually league of nations and that
written agreements are not only USE
less, but dangerous in its establish
| ment. The solidarity among the
| American republics today arises from
| harmony Of interests, the absence
| Of any antagonisms impossible OF
| settlement. their legal equality and
| their similarity Of ideals and ambi-
| tions. The American republics have
grown up to regard themselves az a
1 Pa i11y nP
| gible outcome of this growth and this
/ spirit is the present American
Union, whose small beginning but
| constant development holds promise
OF becoming an ideal league, with it's
teeth and backbone derived from the
| principle established by Monroe a
hundred years ago. There Is no need
to supplement this natural league OF
nations among the Americas with an
article manufactured on the spot, un.
tried and OF doubtful value,
Slap at Mexican Policy.
Costa Rica's little bombsheIl, which
| she exploded in the congress by pro-
posing to reorganize the Pan -Ameri-
can Unions governing board to per-
NIT membership Of a government not
recognized by the United States, was
an interesting development which
has been interpreted here as a direct
slap at Uncle Sans Mexican policy.
Mexico was careful, in declining to
attend the Santiago congress. to EN-.
phasize the fact that she had no
representative on the governing board
l OF fha -pi1 Jof,
arranged the congress Costa Rica
felt 1t her duty, no doubt, to take
Mexico's part
Costa Rica's proposal was referred
by the congress back to the govern
ing board Of the Pan-American Union.
There Is doubt as to whether il will
materialize. The United States deie-
gates at Santiago failed to indorse
the project. and it would appear to
lack the support of diplomats here,
who constitute the governing board.
A source of strength for the Pan
American Union is the fact that its
governing board is composed of &C
| credited diplomats. the very nature Of
| whose position allows of authorita-
| tive and intelligent discussion. 1t
would appear to be an Impractical
and unfortunate step to remove dig
nifty and prestige from the governing
board which results directly from the
nature OF its membership.
Accomplishments Of Conference
OF the real accomplishmen of til.
conference, unofficial Washington
knows little. News dispatches from
Santiago have been confined, in the
main, to reporting the progress of the
discussion on the topics which failed
| of action, for these drew most of the
| popular interest in the congress. The
accomplishments of the congress
which have to do mainly with the
commercial and educational relations
between the repu blics, will be learn
| ed when complete reports become
available. and through the proceed
ings Of series OF future conferences
| on some OF the technical questions
under discussion at Santiago. Per
| haps the most important action OF the
congress, from a commercial view
point, was its approval of a plan for
! the protection OF trademarks and
copyrights. This plan will be put
into effect by suitable legislation in
the different republics
,