The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1928-12-19
Luck May Not Save Us Next Time

If South America is saved from war and the
United States from serious international embarrass-
ment it will be due to luck rather than foresight
Bolivia and Paraguay, after bloody border clashes
and mobilization for war; are reported to have
cepted the mediation offer of the Pan-Amercan
conference on Cancellation and arbitration
BY sheer chance, representatives of all American
governments meeting at this time and can take the
quick and united action which ordinarily would have
been impossible.
The Bolivian araguayan conflict has revealed the
constant but generally ignored of war in the
western hemisphere. 1t has revealed the danger of
such socalled small war, sweeping in larger neigh
bors, just the Balkans in the past have set all
Europe afire It has revealed the threat to heavy
trade and investment interests of the United States
But that is the least Of it.
For this situation also cleaves through all the
high-sounding talk about Pan-American organiza-
to leaving the stark fact that there is permanent
nor effective machinery for preventing war on this
hemisphere. We still are in the dark ages.
The result is not only the war danger, but the
added conflict between our Pan-American chaos and
organized international society represented by the
league of Nations.
The United States with It's Monroe doctrine inter-
pretatons, is in the dog-in-the position of
eglecting to organize this hemisphere for peace and
pf refusing to let the league do so.
Such an organization for peace must provide not
Dny for outside mediation but, as last resort,
hof1ic pressure and penalties. Both the permanent
Pan-Amercan union and the temporary Pan-Amer-
gcan arbitration conference largely mpotent, be-
cause they have neither quick mediation machinery
nor provision for joint economic action against
offender. ~
The alternative to such effective joint organza-
Eion is that one large country, for selfish or other
reasons shall assume the role of international po
licenan." Just as certain large South American
countries were preparing to do in this emergency, and
just as the United States has done in Haiti and
Nicaragua.
We believe that no one power. should be en-
trusted with the policing responsibility.
The act of the Pan-American conference in inter-.
fering with Bolivia and Paraguay and their reported
acquecence to that outside interference is hearten-
ing evidence that war at last is recognized not as the
private business of dsputants, but international
matter. e
If such war is an international matter then it is
not only the right but the duty of the American
nations to organize to insure peace by obligatory arb-
traon and by ouawry of aggressors and breakers OF
arbitration. .
To say that the western hemisphere is not yet
ready for such millennium is no answer. The adj
mitted fact is that hardly any American government
successfully can defy the economic and political power
of the United States, and that American govern
nent long can ignore the combined will of the United
States and the A powers
The United States, in the end, will have to help
organize this hemisphere for peace or get out OF the
way and let the league do it, This Bolivian-Para-
guayan fighting proves the need for immediate action