Evening star., 1931-12-13

| NJ SlLIlOn bOllNaf, the |NreOrRe
L Washington" of South America
On that date Latin Americans
| throughout the continent will pay re-
spect to the memory of the greatest
| man that ever lived in that part Of the
world.
Bolivar, ''The Liberator," has been
hailed as military genius. as politi-
cal organizer of extraordinary vision, as
statesman, as the apostle and the
man of action working for great ideal
But the llberator of five South Ameri-
can nations is seldom known or men,
toned here as the real pioneer of the
| most interesting political tendency of
| our days, the pan-American movement.
| 1t is with this aspect Of his multiform
personality that readers in this country
| should particularly be acquainted. Boil
| war the visionary stateman is even
| greater than Bolivar the leader of SOL
| diers and emancipator of nations
Bolivar father of Pan-Americanism be-
comes a continental figure and deserves
| just as much the admiration of Saxon
| Americans as he does the gratitude and
| immortal homage of the South Ameri-
cans he liberated.
Preceded Leaders of U. s.
Secretary of State Blaine, Henry
Way NFSAE ACoAdCLlb 4IOAiION, dlC OlJSh
mentioned here as the pioneers of the
pan-American spirit. But long before
| these. distinguished statesmen of the
North had achieved public prominence
and used 1t to promote international CO.
operation in the New World Simon
Bolivar had divulged his dreams of a
| united American continent from one
extreme of the Southern continent to
| the other.
The first international assembly ever
to give thought to the ideal of united
Western Hemisphere, in which peace
| and Mutual cooperation would reign
suprem. was the Congress of Panama,
convokA by Bolivar in 1926 At that
| time this South American countries had
| just COMPLETED their liberation from the
| Spanish Crown and were attempting to
take thesr first steps as independent,
sovereign states in the community of
| nations.
Even before that Congress the mill
tary genius and thinker who promoted
| 1t had given the New World the mo-
mentous idea Of united America in
his personal letters, proclamations, po-
litical instructions and speeches.
He spoke Of establishing an "Ameri-
| can Compact" hoping that America
referring to all the American repub-
lics) so united, may, If heaven so
grant be called the Queen of Nations,
the Mother of Republics"
In note to his secretary of foreign
affairs, he wrote: Nothing is of such
interest at this time as the formation
OF truly American League; but this
confederation should not be formed
simply on the principles of an ordinary
alliance for offense and defense; it
should be much closer union than
that recently formed in Europe (the
Holy Alliance) against the liberties of
the people. 1t Is necessary that our
league be q society of sister nations,
| at present separated in the exercise of
their sovereignty by reason of the
course Of human events, but which
| must be strongly and powerfully united
in order to defend themselves against
the aggressions of foreign powers"
And then. setting forth the ideal of
continental congress, which should
discuss such union, he instructed his
secretary Of foreign affairs: 1T is
necessary that you shall henceforth
necessarily urge the necessity of laying
the foundations Of an amphictyonic
body, or assembly of plenipotentiaries,
that shall advance the common inter-
estS OF the American states and settle
the misunderstanding which may arise
in the future between peoples who have
the same common destiny" He also
warned that such misunderstanding
If not properly attended to and solved,
may perhaps kindle lamentable wars,
such as those which have desolated
other less fortunate regions
Urged Treaties Of Union.
To prepare the way for his final
project of continental league of the
American states, Bolivar invited the
Latin American republics as early as
1922 to draw up treaties of union,
association and perpetual confedera-
ton"
Such treaties were concluded by Co.
lombia with Chile, 1922; with Peru, the
same year; with Buenos Aires and
Mexico, 1928, and with Central Amer
lea, 1925. In these treaties it is stipu-
lated that the parties bind themselves
to use their good offices with the gov
ernmentS of the other states of what
was formerly Spanish America to enter
into pact of union, association and
confederation.
1t is stipulated, moreover, that as
soon as this great and important OBJ
Ject has been attained there will be a
general assembly of all the American
states, composed of their plenipotenti-
aries. for the purpose of cementing and
establishing more firmly the intimate
relations which should exist among
them. This assembly should serve as
council in serious disputes, as point
of contact in common danger, as an
authentic interpreter of their public
treaties when difficulties arise, and as
Judge-arbitrator and conciliator in their
misunderstanding and differences.
In 1924 Bolivar, then president of
Peru, sent circular letter to the gov
ernments of Latin America inviting
them to meet in q congress in Panama
Tor the purpose of outlining the basis
OF the pact OF union and confederation
which was proposed in the treaties re-
ferred to. The circular ends thus:
When, after hundred centuries, pos
terity shall search for the origin of our
public law and shall remember the
compacts that solidified its destiny.
they will finger with respect the pr
tocols Of the isthmus. In them they
WIZ find the plan of the first alliances
tnat snail sketch the mark of our re-
latlons with the universe. What, then,
snail be the Isthmus of Corinth COM
pared with that of Panama." 1t is
interesting to note that the Govern
ment of the United States also was in
vited to the congress- for the Monroe
Doctrine was to be promulgated therein
and the most adequate means discussed
for the abolition of the slave trafic.
Knew No Limits.
Bolivar was the spiritual father" of
pan-Americanism. His fight of thought
knew no limits. First, he conceived the
liberation of his native country, Vene-
zuela: then he widened its frontiers, and,
giving 1t new name, caused that of
Colombia to be written into the annals
of history. He formed Gran Colombia"
With the territory which constitutes to-
day the republics of Venezuela, Colombia
and Ecuador. and, with the pride of a
creator called himself a Colombian.
Then he gave freedom to Peru and Boz
livla and became the leader In the lib
Grafton of whole continent.