Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1923-05-12
ARGENTINA ST|RS
FRICTION ANEW BY
RETURN TO LEAGUE
BY DAVID LAWRENCE
(Lcased Wire Service to The Journal.)
DOWNRIGHT, 1929

Copyright, 1929
WASHINGTON, May 10.-Argen-
tina's decision to re-enter the League
of Nations is causing something of
a stir in the realm Of South Ameri-
can diplomacy, chiefly because it
comes at q time when the action
can be construed as indifference to-
ward the policy Of the United States,
Although the American people
have been focusing their eyes on de-
velopments in Europe and the con-
troversy over international co-opera-
ton in that direction there have
been scarcely less important develop.
ments in the republics south OF us
and particularly has there been a
growth of GOODNESS between the
United States and Argentina.
The sending of a United States
naval mission to Brazil, considered
by Argentina as her most powerful
rival, created bad feeling in Beunos
Aires which was not altogether
erased by the diplomatic eXplana'
tions that the United States could
IlOL very VIGIL ISluOS 6L 4CdACSI IL JILL
Brazil and that if this country had
not sent the mission, Great Britain
would have been invited to do so and
no double would have complied. This
incident has been followed by the
letting of contracts by the Brazilian
government for the building of sub
marines in this country and the
Argentinians again have felt that
the United States was lending her
moral support, if not her re-
sources, to the upbuilding of a Bra
lillian navy at a moment when the
cry of the world is for a reduction
of armament and the burdens of
taxation.
Tense Situation
It was in this atmosphere that the
Pan-American conference at San
tiago has just been struggling. The
delegates from the United States
have pursued a policy of extreme
caution, keeping out Of all political
discussions and steering away from
any new plans for the formation of
a League of Nations in this hemls-
phere with rigid rules analogous to
the League Of Nations of European
formula. Practically all of the Cen
trail and South American republics
became members of the European
league when President Wilson sign
ed the Versailles treaty and invita-
tions were extended to all the PEG
pies of the world. But the repub-
lies of Latin-America have not been
active since the United States failed
to ratify the Versailles covenant.
Brazil has taken leading part chief
ly because she was named to mem
bership on he league council, but
the attendance of other Central ana
South American delegations has been
noticeably poor.
The nations to the south of the Rio
Grande usually have taken their
cue from Washington as to partici-
patton in European affairs and the
league itself has in Difference to the
United States avoided considering
disputes arising in the western hem
isphere. Argentinas decision to take
an active part in the League of Ma
tons, however, may bring about
change.
There always has been in Argen-
tina a European party which has
declared the theory of domination by
the United States of western diplo-
macy was wrong and that Argen-
tina's best interests lay in a closer
working arrangement with European
governments.
DiscOntent Famed
The British, French and German
commercial interests did all they
could to foster that belief before
1914 and some of the same effort
has been revived. If it had not been
for the unfortunate incidents in con-
nection with the development of Bra
zil's naval armament, the plan OF the
Europena bloc to draw Argentina
away from the United States would
be making little Roadway.
There is keen appreciation here of
the difficulties in the situation. II
Secretary Hughes could have made
the trip to Santiago, Chile, as orlgl-
nally planned, he would have made
an extended visit to Argentina in an
effort to remove misunderstanding.
American policy as developed at
Washington under changing admin
istrations has been so hard for South
American governments OF follow that
some of them feel a little en-
barrassed in their membership in
the League of Nations. President
Harding has denied that he has
taken any steps to bring about with
draWal Of any South American coun-
tries from the League of Nations
but it generally has been supposed
that American diplomats in Latin
American capitals have made clear
the feeling of the Washington gov