Evening star., 1936-02-17
ROOSEVELT STEP
MAY BOOST TRADE
ter-American Peace Un.
derstanding Also likely
European Aid.
BY DAVID LAWRENCE.

President Roosevelt has taken at Lne
psychological moment step in be-
half of inter-American peace ana
understanding which may have both
directly and indirectly profound in
fuence on the restoration OF trade
and commercial intercourse, so vital
to the economic recovery Of the West
ern Hemisphere.
Guided by Secretary Hull, who has
developed into the greatest personality
for the improvement of Pan-American
relations that the two Americas have
known, the President has adopted a
course, which, if crowned with success
on this side of the Atlantic. may be
the basis for new approach to world
peace on the other side of the Atlantic.
Mr.. Roosevelt's opportunity for
world peace is not the less important
because, instead of starting with
Geneva, where the League of Nations
is struggling with the intense ma
tionalism of relationships among its
members, there is a simple approach
to the less conspicuous but not the
less perplexing problem of how II ma
tions shall live together in peace.
Good Neighbor" Policy.
The Presidents good neighbor"
policy, enunciated at the outset OF his
administration, has been faithfully
pursued and it may be said without
exaggeration that the Roosevelt ad-
ministration has accomplished more
toward eradicating anti-Amerlcan
sentiment in Latin America than any
of its predecessors, not even eXclud-
ing the Wilson administration, with
its attacks on dollar diplomacy"
Mr.. Roosevelt very wisely suggested
Buenos Aires as the place for the
forthcoming international conference.
The larger the nation the more will
ing it should be to remove every pos
sible criticism by going to the nations
of smaller population or wealth. Also
the United States is not anxious to
emphasize its own leadership in pam
American affairs, but to stimulate a
leadership on the part of the other
nations of the inter- American conti-
nentS.
Between the lines Of Mr.. Roosevelt's s
letter to the heads of the Latin Amer
ican governments may be read a pro-
gram that looks toward Joint reSpon-
sibility," which phrase, when used by
the President to refer to peace, also
means joint responsibility for the sd-
vancement of trade intercourse.
Trade Relationships.
The New Deal has never been par
ticularly international, having ever
since the London Economic Confer
ence been disposed to play the game
of national -suffciency and self
containment. But it is growing more
than ever apparent that America must
have an export trade and that Cen
trail and South America afford op-
portunities for the re-establishment
Of old trade relationships which dis
organized Europe cannot at the mo-
ment supply.
There is much that needs to be
done to finance and recapitalize vari-
Gus worthwhile projects in South
America. The vast gold supply of
the United States can be made the
basis for a sensible set-up for the
expectation of a limited amount of
capital. With a reorganization OF
finances will come opportunities for
the building of roads to hitherto in
accessible areas Of Central and South
America. better means of ransporta-
ton by automobile and hence higher
standards of living for the people
on large part of the earth,s surface.
BY means of radio broadcasting and
the airmail, the United States is get
ting closer to the people of the Soth.
and, with improved communication
comes increased interchange of goods
and services and culture.
Money cannot be loaned where there
Is instability. Latin America affords
a splendid opportunity for the making
Of peace pacts that will, when backed
by the Joint responsibility" of all ma
tions in the Western Hemisphere, 90
far toward permitting those longtime
commercial projects which are so es-
sential to the upbuilding of Latin
America.