Evening star., 1933-10-01
PAR[EY WILL STUDY
CANCELLATION PACT
Agreement Based Upon
Roosevelt Definition of
Aggression Considered.
BY CONSTANTINE BROWN.

The State Department, in co-opera-
ton with some Of the major Latin
American powers, is considering the
formulation of a conciliation and a
non-aggression plan to be applied to
the Western Hemisphere.
The basis for discussion is the state
ment made by President Roosevelt on
last May Is, when he defined what, in
his opinion, constitutes aggression. At
that time the President stated that the
invasion Of the territory Of nation by
armed forces of another, constituted be-
yond doubt an aggressive act. On that
definition being accepted by all the
other nations, he declared that the
United States would be willing to enter
into security pact; that is to say, that
If the conslave of states agrees that
such an action has been taken by a
power. that power is guilty of aggres-
sion and the others must find some
means to force her to withdraw.
Idea Rejected In Europe.
This suggestion of thr President has
not been found satisfactory by the Eu-
ropean and Asiatic powers. but it Is
considered as fair and acceptable by
most OF the South American nations.
Some of the countries, like Argentina,
have some definite ideas as to how such
pact could be applied to the Western
Hemisphere. and the State Department.
together with the chancellories of the
other Latin American countries. are dis
cussing informally at present definite
formulation of such a pact.
It is said in well informed quarters
that this subject will be one Of the
important items on the agenda of the
Pen-American conference. to be held
on December 6 at Montevideo.
On the basis of common agree
ment in which the principle OF what
constitutes an aggression as announced
by Mr.. Roosevelt win be accepted. dele
gates to the Montevideo conference will
discuss the possibility of concluding a
general aggression pact to be ap-
piled to all American peoples.
At present there are a number OF
such pacts. but they are somewhat
nebulous. and the machinery is so
heavy that they have never been sat-
isfactorily applied.
Since last year there are two wars
being waged in Latin America. despite
the existing treaties of conciliation.
One Is that between Bolivia and Para
quay. over the Chaco territory. An
official state of war exists between the
two countries. The other is that be-
tween Colombia and Peru, over the
village of Letitia. Neither of the two
latter states have declared war. but
troops have been modified and an
informal struggle is being waged.
Machinery Cumbersome.
The present machinery Of concilia-
ton seems to be too cumbersome to
bring about a real conciliation. In the
case of the Bolivian-Paraguayan War
almost every existing agency has tried
t. stop the war by conciliation. Thus
the matter first was referrd to Wash
ington. later to a committee of neu-
trails formed by the principal Latin
American states, and still later it was
referred to the A. B. C. (Argentina,
Brazil and Chile powers. then to the
League of Nations, and finally the dis
rute will be again referred to Wash
illgton.
While every conciliation agency has
been trying in turn to stop the prog
ress of the war, none of them has
succeeded: The too many cooks have
spoiled the broth. and Bolivia and
Paraguay go on fighting while the great
powers of the world ale trying to stop
them.
It is with view of preventing a re-
currence of such situation that the
IDEA has been advanced to discuss at
the coming Pan-American conference
a plan whereby all nations of the
Western Hemisphere should agree to
adopt a definite plan Of conciliation,
acceptable to all.