The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1928-01-27
Aren't We a Bit Touchy?

Is the Pan-American Union to be maintained and
controlled mostly by and for the United States, or is
it to be a really cooperative body made up Of the
twenty-one republics Of the Western world, each
on exactly the same footing with the rest?
This is the big Interrogation mark lowering over
the an-American conference at Havana Let us not
deceive ourselves to the contrary 1t is the real ques-
ton before the meeting and according to the way it
is answered the twenty Latin-Amercan delegations
there and the nations they represent are going to
be genuinely pleased or resentful.
We can not believe, therefore, the report that men,
bers of our delegation at Havana "plainly were
amazed and taken aback by the scope of the Mexican
project" to reorganize PanAmerican Union which
sits at Washington correspondent expressed It,
Nor can we credit the impression some Of the dis
patches give that an attempt is being made to stab
American prestige in the back.
Nothing could be absurd. The Mexican prop
osition for the reorganization of the Pan-American
Union contains five points, not one OF which I'M
presses the impartial observer anything but fair
that is If the desire is to make the PanAmerican
body truly cooperative one.
First, the Mexican delegation suggests that the
twenty Latin-Amercan nations should not OF neces-
sity be represented in the union by their accredited
diplomats in Washington. If they so desire they
should be permitted to representatives specially
for the job.
Second, it is proposed that the posts OF chairman
and vice chairman rotate annually in alphabetical Or
der among the twenty-one nations members of the
Union.
Third that the post of director general shall rotate
similarly.
Fourth, that the director general shall not hold
any other posts or commissions under his government
other than purely educational ones.
Fifth that the governing board of the union de-
eide the allotment of posts the staff of the Pan
American Union.
Whether these changes would improve the eff
cheney of the Pan-American Union, we are not pre-
pared to say Nor, for the moment, is 1t important.
Is the Mexican proposal anti-Amercan in nature or
is it not?
Let us try to be fair instead of thin-skinned in
the matter. The permanent seat of the Pan-Ameri-
can Union, be it understood, is in Washington. AL
ready that gives us advantage. Next, the present
rules of the union make the Latin American minis
tiers and ambassadors accredited to the United States
members of the governing board.
Inasmuch as the United States passes upon every
such diplomatic appointment it therefore, to that
extent control the composition of the board Further
more, as diplomat may not wish to make himself
persona non grata with the Government at Washing
con, he is hardly free agent when fighting his
country's battles in his other job as member OF
the board.
SO much for that. Custom dictates that the pre-
siding officer Of an international conference shall be
a national of the country in which the conference is
held AS the Pan-American board sits in Washing
ton the Secretary Of State of the United States al
ways has been its chairman.
AS the Pan-American Union is permanent thing,
and not something that meets here and there in diff
ferent countries it is suggested that its chairman be
named in rotation from among all the countries rep
resented in the union.
And so on without going further into the details,
the point is that the Pan-American union is now and
has been since its inception, managed and Differed
principally by citizens of the United States.
Now Latin-American countries deeming them
selves members in equal standing, of the PanAmeri-
can club want to share and share alike in its man
agement.
What could be fairer, more natural?
Ford's Flivver Plane