Evening star., 1926-04-04

come the editors. and they will he
taken around the Capital to inspect
the Library of Congress. the Govern
nent Printing Office and other places
of especial interest.
AT the congress problems relating
to the gathering and dissemination OF
news and the influence of the news
paper on international relations VIII
be discussed. Particular stress Will
he laid on the opportunity of the press
to assist in the establishment of closer
international relations. especially be-
tween the nations of the Western
Hemisphere Such subjects will he
discussed as: THE Press and Inter
national Relations, Newspaper
Ethics Gathering and Dissemina-
tion Of News" schools of Journal
ism Advertising. Newspaper
Orga anization." and others.
Already many of the Latin Amer
ican delegates have arrived. and more
than 100 are expected before the ses-
sions open. Some of the leaders who
will be present are: Senior Or. Jorge
Mitre of La NaCion. Buenos Aires:
Jose Juan Tablada of Mexico Ernesto
Montenegro Of FL Mercurio, Santiago.
Chile: BENJAMIN Silva Herrera of the
Dairio Nacional. Bogota. Colombia
and Luis Miro Quesada OF I'll Com
mercio. Lima. Peru.
Although signal steps have been
taken along other lines in promoting
cultural intercourse between the ma
tions of the Americas, this is the first
journalistic gathering to he held, and
in fact the first gathering of any kind
devoted to matters purely non
political Hitherto the activities of the
Pan-American Union have been of a
hn 90 n
without the necessity of great meet
ings.
MOST of the cultural intercourse
AVA previously. has been through the
| medium Of universities and educators.
A system Of exchange of students be-
tween universities in this country
and in Latin America has been in
effect for some time. and in addition.
leading educators have been engaged
to teach at schools outside their own
nations for the purpose of acquaint-
ing the students with the ideals of
their own countries. The activities
of scientists along research lines have
been aided by the union through the
various governments.
Recently much attention has been
given to the creation of interest in
this country in Latin American poetry
and music. Frequent concerts have
been held at the Pan American Build
ing, at which artists of the Latin
American nations appeared in re-
citals of the music of their respec-
tive countries. Through the union the
translation of Latin American poetry
into English has been encouraged and
at the same time the Latin American n
III n
urged to publish translations of Amer
ican verse into their own language.
All these activities, however, much
as they have accomplished. have in
reality been but preliminary steps to
what is expected to be accomplished
By this and forthcoming congresses
of editors and publishers. The idea
| of such a congress. although probably
not definitely expressed, was doubt
less in embryonic form in the mind
of Bolivar when he conceived the
idea of pan-American conference,
which was the beginning of the Pan
American Union.
Bolivar had always looked to the
United States for his inspiration, and
it was the success Of the United states
In it's revolution that prompted him
to assume the role of liberator of
South America. With a great part of
the land freed from Spain, Bolivar
saw that the infant nations of South
America would have to rely upon the
assistance of the United States. He
saw, too, that the ideals which Wash
ington had stood for and which had
been adopted by his country would
have to be the ideals of South Amer
lea. He conceived a vast union of all
of America. not built upon political
lines, but rather owing its existence
to a cultural unity and a similarity
of national and international outloolSs.
Accordingly, in 1895, Bolivar, sup
ported by Henry Clay, who was then
Secretary of State for the United
States, effected the calling of a confer
ence in which envoys of Peru. Mexico.
Central America. Colombia and the
United States met to consider matters
of Importance to the nations of this
hemisphere, to cement their friend
ship and TO encourage commerce. The
seed thus sown by Bolivar took root,
and further conferences were held in
1S47. 1850. 1854 and 1877.
James G. Blaine. when he was Sec
retary of State. conceived the idea of
more permanent institution than
the conferences, which were held in
termittently and without any partic-
ular aims other than the. settlement