Evening star., 1936-02-16
Peace Parley Letter
Roosevelt Note to Presidents of american Republics
Urges New Agreements to Supplement
and Reinforce League.
BY the Associated Press.

The text Of President Roosevelt's
peace parley letter to President Angus
tin P. Justo of the Argentine Republic,
almost identical copies of which went
to the Presidents of all other Latin
American republics, under date Of jan
uary 30. follows:
NV dear Mr. President:
The agreement by the governments
of Bolivia and Paraguay upon the
peace protocols recently negotiated at
Buenos Aires has afforded the Govern
ment and people of the United States
the deepest qualification, since 1t has
led them to hope that there Is now
every prospect of a permanent and
equitable solution of this tragic con-
troversy. which has continued for so
long a period; which has caused the
sacrifice of so many lives, and which
has placed so crushing a burden Of
expenditure upon the citizens of the
two belligerent nations.
Happiness in Peace
Shared by U. S.
know well with what intimate con-
Germ the government and people of
Argentina have followed the course Of
these hostilities, and their happiness at
the termination of the conflict Is fully
shared by the Government and people
of the United States.
I cherish the sincere conviction that
the moment has now arrived when the
American republics, through their
designated representatives seated at
common council tabl should seize
this altogether favorable opportunity
to consider their joint responsibility
and their common need Of rendering
less likely in the future the outbreak
or the continuation of hostilities be-
tween them, and by so doing, serve in
an eminently practical manner the
cause of permanent peace on this
Western Continent.
If the tragedy of the Chaco can be
considered as having served any use
full end, believe such end will lie in
our Joint willingness to profit from the
experience learned and to exert our
common endeavors in guarding against
the repetition Of such American dis
aSters.
Buenos Aires Is Proposed
As Meeting Place.
1t has seemed to me that the Amer
ican governments might for these
reasons view favorsbly the suggestion
that an extraordinary Inter- American
Conference be summoned to assemble
at an early date at Buenos Aires,
should the government of the Argen-
tine Republic so desire, or, if not, at
some other capital of this continent,
to determine how the maintenance OF
peace among the American republics
may best be safeguarded-whether.
perhaps, through the prompt ratiflca-
tion of all of the inter-American peace
instruments already negotiated, wheth-
er through the amendment Of existing
peace instruments in such manner as
experience has demonstrated to be
most necessary, or perhaps through the
creation by common accord OF new
instruments Of peace additional to
those already formulated.
These steps, Furthermore, would ad-
vance the cause of world peace, mas
much as the agreements Wnlcn mlgnt
be reached would supplement and re-
inforce the efforts of the League Of Ma
tions and of all other existing or flu
ture peace agencies in seeking TO pre-
vent war.
Rare Opportunity
For Helpful Counsel.
With the conclusion of the Chaco
War and with the re-establishment Of
peace throughout this continent, there
would appear to be offered an oppor-
tunity for helpful counsel among our
respective governments which may not
soon again be presented. Your Ex-
cellency's devotion to the mainten-
ance of peace between the American
republics is well known, and would
therefore deeply appreciate such views