Evening star., 1926-04-04
BY c. c. WERTENBAKER.

%HE opening of the first Pan
American Congress of Jour.
nalists here April : will mark
the realization of one of the
chief ideals of the PanAmerican
Union
Seeking the development of closer
cultural. commercial and financial re-
lations among the republics of the
American continent and To promote
friendly intercourse peace and closer
UNDERSTANDING" the Pan.American
Union has always laid emphasis on
the cultural side Of its three-fold pur-
pose. While il has always had many
commercial and financial tasks TO per
form, its leaders have wisely realized
that true understanding among the
various countries that compose 1t can
only come through the establishment
of common point of view.
Toward this end the Union has al
WAYS worked. 1t has sought to bring
A bout an American culture which
would be representative not only OF
this country, but also of the nations
of Latin America. 1t has worked 10
foster common outlook upon world
problems. and particularly upon prob,
lens which affect the v estern heml
sphere.
In spite of numerous squabbles,
Europe has always been distinguish
ed by what. for want of a better term
has been called a European con
Sciousness" The Asiatic outlook has
ever been easily distinguishable.
But i'm America there have been in
Vulnerable views and counter views
all working at variance with each
other.
For long time>the nations of Latin
America were torn by revolutions
and unsettled political conditions. and
| during this period the United states
| sought to bring about peace and con
| cord With the coming of stability
came the realizat tion that. in most
respects, the ideals Of Latin America
were those OF the United States. To
dispose Of minor matters OF difference
and to promote the recognition OF
these common ideals, the Pan-Amerl
can Union was established.
| The commercial side of the union s
activity has always had more publicity
than the cultural side. This has been
natural and has been the result of
more immediate profits. The advan
tages of commercial treaties and the
| increas Sc of trade have been shown IN
dollars and cents, and where imam
cia gain is concerned results are
quick.
! But the profits of cultural homo
| geneity are necessarily slower in com
| ing and more difficult to recognize
when they do come. The establish
| ment of a common outlook comes by
! degrees, but it is usually not noticed
| until it has been attained. Yet that
| common outlook has been almost com
| pletely reached and a chief indication
of this is given in the complete sue
| cess which accompa anied the sugges
! tion of a Pan-American Congress Oi
| journalists.
| THIS is the greatest single step ever
taken by the union to bring infiu
| ences in North and Latin America
| into concord. Heretofore it's activftie:
| have been confined to keeping In con
! tact with editors and spreading their
views through the press. Now these
| editors will meet each other person
| ally. and will exchange ideas that
should be of great influence in the
future development Of American
/ thought.
Leading newspapers OF every coun
| try in Latin America will be repre-
sented at the meeting. These will in
clude papers Of South and central
America, Mexico and the West Indies
In addition there are expected about
800 representatives from leading news
papers of the United States, probably
including every State in the Union
There has probably never been jour
nalistic gathering in the world OF
quite so wide scope as this meeting
will have. 1t will continue from April
| Z To 13.
Following the convention the Latin
| American visitors Will be taken on a
tour throughout the Eastern and Cen
trail part of the United States. The
tour is expected to last about a month
and it will embrace all of the chief
points of natural interest. IS well as
things which are of especial interest
to the editors. They probably will in
spect several Of the larger newspaper
plants in the larger Eastern cities, and
will be shown the workings of the
average American newspaper from top
Ito bottom.
The Capital has already been deco
rated to receive the visitors. A com
mittee headed by Mrs. Robert Lansing
| has arranged for the entertainment OF
It'll women who will accompany the
editors. President Coolidge will vel