Evening star., 1934-11-18
BY GASTON NERYAL.

D1 oAS 1ON MN hLs
TINE essence of true pan-Ameri-
canism is the application Of
the accepted rules of inter-
L national law to inter -Ameri-
can relations. Pan-American-
ism may be pictured as an ideal tri-
angle with these three bases: Eco
nomics, culture and ethics. The first
includes all the material elements
that make up trade. communications,
financial links. physical contacts, etc.
Culture embraces the intellectual re-
lationships, education, psychological
understanding, the commerce Of the
things of the mind. Ethics stands for
a sense of morals. justice, equality
and fair play, which should govern al
civilized states, no matter how power
full, in their relations with other
members of the international COM
munity.
Up to this time only the first two
factors have been attended to-the
second one only recently and very
feebly. The third factor, the ethical,
has been usually disregarded. Inter-
vention by the United States in the
republics of the Caribbean area is in
conflict with this ethical element, be-
cause it destroys the sovereignty and
self-respect of small but independent
states. The false conception of the
Monroe doctrine as giving the United
Sttaes the privilege to extend kind
of Semi-protectorate over the peoples
of the Western Hemisphere is in con-
flict with it, because it destroys the
sense of equality and mutual respect,
which is the moral foundation of all
international relations. Any obvious
discrimination of Latin American
government against the rights of for
eign residents would be equally in
conflict with it, because it would dis
avow justice and law.
Conflict With Ethics.
1t is precisely, because all these
things, often practiced in the past,
are in conflict with the ethical factor,
that they have been, and still are, the
greatest barrier to the success of true
American accord. Only when the
ethical considerations have been taken
into account, just as fully as the ma
terial or the cultural elements. will
the harmony and cooperation which
pan-Americanism pursues be possible.
The real pioneers of pan-American-
ism, therefore, are not the silver
tongued orators or diplomats of gold
embroidered uniforms who regularly
deliver themselves of generalities about
peace and trade, but the scholars who
disseminate the rules and the methods
of the law Of nations, add the advo-
Gates of codification of international
law.
One of such men is Pedro Itriago-
Chacin, author of recent volume on
international treaties, "Apuntes sobre
Los Tratados," which should prove
valuable contribution to the ethics of
pan-Americanism. He is at present,
and has been for many years, the
minister of foreign affairs of Ven-
ezuela, and that adds to the authority
and significance of his work. The
subject of his latest book is, appar-
emily, a study of the treaties and con-
ventions to which his country is
party, but actually includes general
discussion of the principles underly-
ing the public law Of nations and of
the progress they have made in recent
years. In this the author reveals q
characteristic common to his race:
he deals with the affairs and accom-
plishments of his own country as they
affect or may affect conditions in the
rest Of Latin America, and in the
continent. He does not confine his
vision to Venezuela; he has hts mind
on pan-America.
DR.. Itriago- -Chacin is not new con-
vert. He has written several books
on international law, one Of them, En-
la Catedra," having merited enthusi-
astic praise from the foremost Ameri-
can authority, John Bassett Moore.