Evening star., 1933-04-23
BY GASTON NERvAL.

0x OASxON NEhvhAs
A ROUND the oval table of the
n governing boards room, In the
II Pan American Building, sat the
1 \ 20 Latin American chiefs OF
mission, Ambassadors, Minis.
ters, charges d'affaires. They had
gathered to celebrate Pan-American
| day, set aside to commemorate the
establishment of the Pan,American
Union 43 years before.
The transcendency Of the occasion
was enhanced by the presence among
them of the new Chief Executive Of the
United States, who had chosen this
solemn opportunity to make his first
declaration of policies in inter-Amer-
ican relations.
As they waited, eagerly. to hear the
which was to disclose the
Intentions of the new administration
toward the Southern republics. the
Latin American diplomats probably re-
called to mind the misunderstanding
and ill-will which the views held on the
subject by former Presidents Of this
country had aroused in the past.
The North American fiat" OF Presi-
dent Cleveland, the big stick" and the
President Theodore Roosevelt; Presi-
dent Taft's dollar diplomacy, President
Wilson's paternalistic attitude, Presi-
dent Coolidge's theory Of unlimited pro-
| lection abroad, which had resulted In
| armed interventions, punitive military
| expeditions, non-recognition OF govern
| ments and other acts of force resented
| by the Americans Of Latin origin.
Symbolized New Era.
But here was a man, the symbol Of q
| new era Here was q man Who had
| brought a new deal" to his own peo-
pie; who, in less than six weeks. had
left precedents. traditions and pre!u-
dices miles behind, that he may give
his country action. much needed &C
ton, and relief. Here was a man who
had broken with the past in domestic
administrative matters.
Was he, also. to break with the past
in foreign policies? Was he to carry
| his invigorating and Straightforward
philosophy of government to the larger
field of international relations? was
| he to allow the dawn Of the new deal
tc break across the Rio Grande?
Then. President Franklin D. Roose-
welt spoke:
This celebration commentaries .
movement based upon the policy OF fra
ternal cooperation. In my inaugural
address I stated that I would dedicate
this nation to the policy OF the good
neighbor-the neighbor who resolutely
respects himself, and because he does
so, respects the rights Of others-the
neighbor who respects his obligations
and respects the sanctity of his agree
ments in and with a world of neighbors.
Never before has the significance OF the
! word good neighbor' been so manifest
! in international relations. Never have
the need and benefit of neighborly CO.
operation in every form of human &C.
tivity been so evident as they are to-
day"
Had he stopped after saying only
these few words, the President Of the
| United States already would have filled
the purpose of his appearance at the
| PAN American Union. In those words,
alone, is embodied declaration Of policy
which should be sufficient to clear away
any misapprehension as to the line OF
conduct to be followed by the State De-
partment's Latin American policy IN the
next four years.
Let us see what the policy Of the
good neighbor" means in terms Of inter-
American relations.
Equality Provided.
It means equality of States, respect
for the sovereignty and rights OF other
nations, fairness to all of them, ire
spective of size or material strength.
| It means friendly international CO.
operation, mutual assistance, and the
realization of a collective consciousness
in the Western Hemisphere.
1t means respect for standing obliga-
tions, sanctity of treaties. good faith
and confidence in one another.
| It means non-intervention ard repu-
diation of force.
1t means preference for peaceful, con-
| ciliatory methods. 1t means adjust
+, ment of differences and arbitration OF
| international disputes. 1t means peace
| 1t means fair, well regulated economi-
cal relationships among nations, and a
sense Of justice In their commercial In
| terchange.
| It means, in brief, all that set Of prin-
ciples and doctrines which make up
present-day international law and, even
more important, those other principles
still unprotected today, for which ideal
lists and progressives have been striving
| for decades. And which have often
been absent in an-American relations
The policy Of the good neighbor'
cannot admit of imperialism, hegemony,
armed interventions, territorial greed
interference with domestic affairs, eco
nomic overlordship. commercial dis
ordinations and other practices based
on sheer physical force. which. in the
past, have caused so many conflicts and
sown the seeds Of so much suspicion
and discord.
The policy Of the good neighbor" is