Evening star., 1928-12-31
INTERNATIONAL

Early in January President Coolidge
created a precedent by journeying to
Havana, Cuba, to attend the opening
of the Pan-Aberican conference and
to deliver an address before that body.
He returned at once, leaving the
interest of the United States in the able
hands of Charles Evans Hughes and
his fellow delegates. AT the instance
Of Mexico 1t was decided that the
union should not have power to con-
slider political questions, though some
Of the delegates tried earnestly to make
il virtually an American league OF
nations. Honorio Pueyrredon. head OF
the Argentina delegation, insisted that
the union adopt a declaration against
the maintenance Of tariff wall between
the American republics, and when Mr..
Hughes would not listen to this ana
it was turned down by the conference,
Pueyrredon resigned both from his
delegation and as ambassador to Wash
ington. Before this occurred he and
many others found occasion to de-
nounce Intervention by one nation In
the internal affairs of another, the
attack. of course. being aimed at the
policy of the United States in the case
of Nicaragua AS it was evident that
a resolution embodying these views
could not be carried unanimously,
further discussion of the subject was
referred to the seventh conference.
Definite results of the session were:
The acceptance by 20 States OF code
Of private international law: adoption
of resolutions that disputes OF juridi-
cal nature be submitted to arbitration,
that aggressive war be outlawed and
the republics of America committed to
the use of peaceable means for the
settlement of all disputes between them;
the beginning of the codification OF
international law; the signing of con-
vention on commercial aviation, and
the putting into full effect of the pam
American sanitary code.
Serious Threat of Warfare.
In December there was a serious
threat Of warfare between Bolivia and
Paraguay over the disputed Gran Chaco
region. At the same time Pan
American conference on conciliation
and its first efforts were directed
toward averting this outbreak of
hostilities. The council of the League
Of Nations also urged the two republics
to settle their quarrel without resort to
arms.
On February 6, the one hundred and
fiftieth anniversary of the signing of
tne f1rsr treaty between the United
States and France, the two nations
signed a new arbitration pact, binding
each party not to go to war with the
other The American Government at
the same time suggested that better
way would be to unite the efforts OF
the two powers to obtain the adhesion
IF all the principal powers Of the world
to a declaration denouncing war as an
instrument of their national policy.
This was the inception of the multi
laterel treaty which Secretary of State
Kellogg later proposed to the chief
powers. One by one the nations ac-
cepted the plan in principle, some OF
them with reservations, and finally the
pact was drawn up to suit all. France
thereupon invited IA other nations to
send representatives to Paris to sign
the treaty. All responded and on
August 27 the ceremony was performed.
T....@ fsaat was left open for the ad-
hesior. of other nations and within a
few weeks most of the governments OF
The civilized world had accepted 1t.
Promising as this movement toward
general peace seemed, it was regarded
bv certain elements in some countries,
especially the United States and Italy,
with cynical derision. Approval by the
American Senate is necessary to give
1t effect. and some of the senators were
known to be opposed to 1t. Senator
Borah, chairman of the foreign rela-
tions committee, however, gave the
treaty his warm Endorsement.
Franco British Pact.
Great Britain and France announced
en- July 80 that they had reached an
agreement that would be basis for
negotiating the reduction of naval
rmaments-which the United States
had vainly sought to bring about. The
terms of the agreement were not fully
revealed, but it was soon discovered
that they provided that Great Britain
should have all the light cruisers, de-
stroyers and submarines of 500 tons or
less that she desired; that capital ships
sS the size and armament needed by