Evening star., 1936-09-18
BY BRENT EOW ALLINSON.

BY BRENT DOW ALLINSON.
The centralized Republic of Guate-
lnala, in which not merely compulsory
military service, but also brief period
OF compulsory public service in road
building and highway construction Is
required of all young males, occupies
o rugged region of square miles south
Of the Mexican states of Chiapas and
Oaxaca.
Although Guatemala is the only
Central American state connected oy
railroad with its neighbors. the advent
Of the commercial aeroplane has
brought the capitals of Ell Salvador
and the two Hondurases-the cities
Of San Salvador. Belize and Teguci-
galpa-within easy reach of each
other BY air. This modern link has
served to revive talk of political con-
solidation Of the five Central Ameri-
can republics. which, under the name
Central American Federation, actually
existed century ago.
Treaty Drafted and Signed.
In March of 1884 official delega-
tions sent by Costa Rica. Honduras.
Nicaragua and El Salvador met With
representatives Of Guatemala in the
National University in Guatamala City
IN discuss a new series of treaties for
the general welfare of Central Amer
fca. There was drawn up and signed
in April a treaty Of Central Ameri-
can fraternity outlawing war between
the fve signatory republics, reaffirm-
ing the ideal of confederation, recog-
nizing the principle of non-lnterven-
ton of one state in the internal al
fairs of others. making compulsory
pscifc settlement Of all international
disputes, accepting the principle OF
especial tariff reductions, facilitating
citizenship reciprocally, establishing
measures for the unification of edu-
cation and intellectual interchange,
making judicial acts of one country
valid in the others, advocating i'm
proved intercommunications. espe-
cially the Pan-American Highway,
and providing for the opening of a
House of Central America" in each
capital for promoting cultural and
economic intercourse.
These are precisely the ideas OF the
oficial agenda of the coming extraor-
binary conference of the American re-
publics at Buenos Aires. They have
already been tried, therefore. with
beneficent results on regional scale.
The Minister of Guatemala in
Washington, DR.. Adrian Recinos, has
been an active member of the SUBJ
committee of Latin American dlplo-
matists that has prepared and re-
vised the official program for the
Buenos Aires conference
Oficial and unofficial documents
testify to the lively interest of the
Guatemalan government and public
opinion in the coming Pan-American
Conference and what may be ac-
complished there for the benefit OF
all the affiliated American peoples.
Time Propitious for Farley.
The President of Guatemala, Gen
George Ubico, in promptly accepting
President Roosevelts invitation, con-
sidered the time propitious for spe-
cial conference Ito determine how
peace can be maintained and safe
guarded among the American re-
publics, and to agree on the best pro-
cedures in favor of it, as the supreme
aspiration of the good neighbor policy,
which your excellency and the Secre-
tary OF State, Mr. Hull, have pro-
claimed on many and formal oc-
casions"
His letter reveals that as early as
last December 5, a month before
President Roosevelts invitation was
sent out, he suggested confidentially
TO the United States, through his
minister of foreign affairs DR.. Klee,
and the American Minister in
Guatemala, Mr. Hanna, ''the signing
Of a general treaty of solidarity and
mutual cooperation among the Amer
1can nations; deeming that among
them there are common interests, the
protection of which is vital to the
life of the continent; and exhorting
them to exert all their efforts ''to
safeguard the desire for peace, justice
and mutual respect, which must serve
rs the basis of public law in America.
President Ubico's concrete politica,
proposal is motivated by the declared
belief that the geographical situation
Of the nations Of the American con-
tinent has determined special rela-
tionship among them in all phases oi
their political, economic and social
life: that the American international
conferences have succeeded in taking
definite action as to important anc
far-reaching arrangements for the
preservation of peace, the furtheranct
Of commercial reciprocity. the pro-
gressfve development of communica.
tions. daily more efficient and rapid
to the end of increasing prosperity a.
regards culture and social welfare"
Common Interest Shown.
An examination of the terms pro
posed indicates that there exists be
tween the American republics common
continental interests obligating then
to maintain a solidarity as to funda
mental principles of their existence a
members of the international Ameri
can community" The Guatemala
government proposes, therefore, tina
all the American governments shoul
now formally proclaim that their re
lations constitute a purely America
system tending toward the preserva
ton of peace, the outlawry Of wal
the harmonious development of thel
commerce and cultural aspirations i
ill fields-political. economic, socia
scientific and artistic"
Realistically considered. what woul
such a joint public declaration sig
nifty, in the present condition Of tn
world? 1t would, first Of all, be re
afirmation, on cooperative an
continental scale, of the first prin
caples of the Monroe doctrine OF 1872
reinforced by collaboration of MOI
than q score of affiliated republic
resolved upon achievement Of a par
American PAX Economica." 1t woul