Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-01-08
BACKGROUND OF EVENTS
BY PAUL Y. COLLINS.

Whatever the "war to end wars"
accomplished as to Europe, it is most
encouraging to note how the conditions
looking toward the absolute outlawing
of war in the Western Hemisphere are
developing Another great step mas
been taken, within the last week, by
the work OF the Pan-American Confer
ence in agreeing upon multnateral
treaty establishing compulsory arbltra-
ton among at least 20 of the II ma
lions of North and South and Central
America.
At the same time, it is announced
that two serious threats of wars in
South America have been met with
measures which will probably avert the
impending hostilities.
x X X X
For many years. war had been I'M
minent between Chile and Peru. over
the Tacna- AFRICA boundary dispute.
Bolivia was a party in interest in that
dispute. since the claims of both Peru
and Chile shut off Bolivia entirely from
her former access to the Pacific Ocean.
The friction directly between Peru and
Chile threatened war for years, dlplo-
matte relations were suspended, and the
dispute was referred to the President OF
the United States for arbitration. All
that the United States has been able to
accomplish has been a renewal OF diplo-
matte relations between the diSputantS,
but that is of very great significance in
that it demonstrates willingness of
both parties to find way out, without
resorting to bloodshed. The diplomats
are now negotiating settlement, most
amicably, which will then be approved
by the arbitrator, the President of the
United States.
That happy outcome cannot be
credited to any new treaty, but Is OF
even greater significance, in showing the
development of a will toward peace
and an abandonment of war as a ma
tional policy for maintaining rights.
X X X X
A later instance of the same nature
came even during the sessions of the
openly threatened hostile action to force
Paraguay to cede certain access to a
navigable river claimed by Paraguay to
be wholly within her domain, which
would give Bolivia direct connection
with the Atlantic Ocean-she having
deSpaired of access to the Pacific.
Claims of right to possession of ter
ritory containing that access to the
boundary river were made by botn
countries. and hostile military opera
lions were charged by each against
the other. There was no treaty OF
compulsory arbitration which would
cover the crisis, but. through the Wig
orous action of the n-American Con-
ference, a protocol was agreed upon by
both countries for the appointment OF
commission on Cancellation. and that
carries with it a pledge to suspend mill
tary maneuverS.
The commission Is authorized only
to inquire into the facts as to which
country was the aggresSor in the re-
cent crisis, but the essential thing is
that it's appointment suspends hostile
action, and there will be no further
danger of war, for by the time the
commission will be ready to report
facts the new Pan-American multi
lateral treaty will be in force, making
war so hateful in the Western
Hemisphere that it will be unthinkable
as means of gaining the Bolivian goal
of corridor to the sea.
n X X
While these advancing steps refer only
to this hemisphere. the world at large
is favoring the Kellogg BRAND treaty to
outlaw war for all the 60 nations. The
United States Senate is now debating
the ratification of that multilateral
treaty, with such indications of its rati-
fication claimed, that there seems, ac
cording to Senate leaders of both politl-
cal parties, to be no fear of its nom
approval. A vote of ratification may be
taken this week.
These are days Of great hope Of peace
on EARTH" good will to nations, though
patriots want no uncertainty as to the
principle of national preparedness
against any bareback from aggresSors
who might imagine that peace means
weakness.
The greatest pacifist among Presi-
dents of the present generation was the
man often remembered for his dictum,
Speak softly and carry big stick"
1t would take considerable nerve for
any one to accuse President Roosevelt
of supineness in the face of a ma
tional affront, yet in all of his adminiS-
tration there was never a hostile shot
fired on land or sea. He believed in
peace with strength.
Last Sunday was the tenth anniver-
sary of his death, and number of his
friends made their annual pilgrimage to
do honor to his grave. There, an ex-
tract from Col. RooSevelt's speech, made
at the Sorbonne, France, April 13, 1910,
was read by Brig. Gen. Frank r. Nc
Coy, as follows:
of outrage Has done awav with