Evening star., 1927-05-02
Colombian Minister Delivers
Welcome to Conference

DIR. Enrique Olaya, Minister of Co.
lombia, addressed the conference as
| follows:
''Mr. Secretary of State, Mr.. Secre-
tary of Commerce, members of the
| governing board, delegates to the Pan
American Commercial Congress. mem
bers of the Inter-American Commits
sion of Commercial Aviation.
Gentlemen: My colleagues, the mem
bers of the governing board of the
Pan-American Union, very kindly
honored me some little time ago by
designating me vice chairman of that
board for the present year, and it is
in this capacity that I, today, have
the honor of addressing these words
of cordial welcome to the delegates to
the third Pan-American commercial
conference and members Of the Inter
American Commission of Commercial
Aviation.
'The general aspects of this as
sembly, its purposes and the hopes to
which it gives rise, have just been
exhaustively set forth by his excel
lency the Secretary of State, and in
few moments we shall hear the au-
thoritative remarks of his excellency
the Secretary of Commerce. My words
on this occasion are only an expression
of fellowship with the Latin American
delegates from one Of their own race
| and speech and, for the delegates of
the United States, a sincere affirma-
ton that there is a genuine desire on
the part of the nations to the south
ward to contribute to the development
and stimulation of a commercial and
| financial policy which, by an equitable
and mutual consideration of the in
| terests involved shall still further in
crease the marvellous figures already
achieved in the economic interchange
between our various peoples.
Some Criticism Inevitable.
with respect to the ultimate result
Of efforts such as those today intrlst-
ed to the members of the third Pan
American Commercial Congress. some
| criticism and even lack Of confidence
are inevitable. The problems included
| in its activities are so complex and
the questions to be considered so vast,
that opposing opinions and divergent
views not always easy to reconcile will
| inevitably arise. IT, nevertheless, we
| look backward and strike balance in
the results obtained through preceding
conferences, we shall find solid grounds
not only for frank optimism but for a
| positive affirmation as to what the fu-
ture means in the unifcation of the
| political and economic interests Of
this continent, from the standpoints OF
| facts considered and anaIyZed in as
semblies of this character. The funda-
mental condition for success is to be
found in the sincerity, the good faith
and the competence with which the
mutual interchange Of ideas is &C.
compliShed. In reading the papers
presented to the first and second Pan.
American Commercial Congresses one
cannot fail to observe the frank and
open manner of presenting and dis
cussing the various problems, some
important and complicated others
easy of settlement, but all susceptible
of satisfactory solution, granted a
spirit of impartial investigation. This
policy OF frankness and good faith,
fruitful in any field, yields a more
magnificent harvest in the world of
business than in any other. AS early
as 1889, in the Washington conference
an illustrious Argentine, Senior Saenz
Pena, and an eminent American, Gen
Henderson, in their discussion of the
economic subjects Of that assembly
provided both an example and lesson
in showing how friendly exposition
in even the most diverse and opposing
points OF view, let's in the light, ban.
ishes Misunderstanding, eradicates
prejudices and establishes friendship
on firm and enduring foundations.
Record of Commerce.
THE development OF commerce be
tween the United States and the
Latin American nations, always con
sidered by statesmen of the first rank
as destined to reach enormous proper
} tions, has perhaps surpassed every
thing that could be hoped for some
decades ago. The figures today are
alike fiattering and amazing, nor is the
!, stssax riss 9f The curve s1Es6fsa % b p