Evening star., 1936-09-09

American Peace Congress in
Buenos AtresJ
BY BRENT DOW ALLINSON.
An ambitious and elaborate pro-
gram-impossible of complete ac-
complishment-has been drafted for
the Inter-American Peace Conference,
which is to be held in Buenos Aires,
Argentina, opening December /.
It's essence Is the historic Ameri-
can neutrality policy. and the Mon
roe Doctrine, the reconstruction Of
which on a broader international
foundation is the chief motive for the
summons to the conference. The
formal agenda Is something else,
however.
Program Tentatively Drawn.
The governing board of the PAN
American Union at session May 10
received from the Committee on Pro-
gram and transmitted to the govern
ments of the 81 American republics
the project of program for the confer
ence. In covering resolution adopt
ed at the same session, the govern
ments were requested to commune
cate any observations or suggestions
they had to make on or before June 30
In order that the board might proceed
with formulation Of the definite
agenda.
Based on suggestions submitted by
the several governments, the program
Is divided into six sections, dealing
respectively with the organization of
tpeace, neutrality, limitation of arma-
ments. juridical problems, economic
problems, and intellectual cooperation
The full text Of the project Of pro-
gram is as follows:
Organization of peace:
Methods for the prevention and
pacific settlement Of inter American
disputes: Consideration of possible
causes Of controversy and of measures
for their peaceful solution; co-ordi-
nation and perfecting of existing in
ternational instruments for the main
tenance Of peace; consideration of
additional measures for the mainte-
nance of peace and the pacific settle
ment of inter-American controversies; !;
measures intended to secure the
prompt ratification of treaties and
conventions for the maintenance of
peace; generalization of the inter-
American judicial system for the main
tenance of peace; consideration of the
desirability of creating an inter-Ameri-
can Court of Justice.
Consideration of other measures
tending towards closer association of
the American Republics and their re-
lation to other international entities,
Neutrality and Arms Limitation.
1I-Neutrality:
Consideration Of rules regarding the
rights and duties of neutrals and
belligerents.
illumination Of Armaments:
Necessity Of limiting the organiza-
Gon and ornaments Of national de-
fense, so as only to guarantee in
ternal security of the State and its
defense against foreign aggression.
IV-Juridical Problems:
Consideration of methods for the
future codification of international
law; formulation of principles with re-
spect to the elimination of force and
of diplomatic Intervention in cases of
pecuniary claims and other private
sections; unidcation of the interna-
t!onal American principle and of ma
tional legislation with respect to the
problems of nationality; considera-
ton of civil and political rights Of
women.
V-Economic Problems:
Measures to promote closer economic
relations among the American Repub-
lies; tariff-truce and customs agree
ments; agreement on sanitary regula-
tions affecting the interchange of ami
NAL and vegetable products; equality
OF trade opportunity; financial Co
operation; international aspects Of
the problems Of immigration; pro-
motion Of travel; other measures.
Improvement Of communication IA
oilities; maritime communications;
the Pan-American Highway; other
measures.
Measures for the improvement Of
the Intellectual, moral and material
condition of workers.
W-Intellectual Cooperation.
Measures to promote closer in
tellectual and cultural relations be-
tween the American Republics, and
the development of the spirit of moral
disarmament" ..-.
Completion Doubted.
It Is doubtful, indeed impossible.
that any such program can be success
fully negotiated at any international
conference. Each of the six major
topics, or categories, of this draft
agenda might justify an entire confer
ence by itself. The first, jural section
Of the program, which may easily con-
sumo most Of the available time and
lead the delegates into a tangled Sara
gossa OF diplomatic verbalism and
treaty-making, ought to be relegated
to the last. The length and
complexity of subject matter Of
recent pan-American conferences have
steadily grown, but pan-Americanism
Es q world force has not thereby
perceptibly increased since the war.
More than SO separate conventions
and agreements were concluded and
signed at the seventh conference, at
MonteNdeo, in 1888. Until now,
only a small number have been
ratified by the congresses of many of
the American republics Far better