Evening star., 1936-02-16
ROOSEVE[TURGES
|NTER-AMER|CAN
PARLEY ON PEACE
Letters to Presidents of 20
Republics Seek Perma.
nent Basis.
SUPPLEMENTING LEAGUE
ENDEAVORS OBJECTIVE
Favorable Response to Suggestion
Virtually Assured in State De-
partment Soundings.
BY the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
President Roosevelt last night I'M
covered a proposal for an extraordi-
nary inter-American conference, en-
comprising 20 Central and South
American Governments and aimed "at
permanent peace on this western
continent"
In almost identical personal letters
to the Presidents of the various re.
publics. the Chief Executive suggested
that the parley be held at Buenos
Aires, Argentina. at an early date. The
cause of peace in the New World, he
said, is matter of vital concern"
These steps, furthermore" he said.
would advance the cause Of world
peace, inasmuch as the agreements
which might be reached would supple
ment and reinforce the efforts of the
League of Nations and Of all other
existing or future peace agencies in
seeking to prevent war"
Favorable Response Seen.
A favorable response to Mr.. Roose-
velt's suggestion was generally con-
ceded. In fact, the staging of such a
peace parley was virtually guaranteed
in advance through informal sound.
ings by the State Department.
The entire procedure, however, was
extraordinary The Executives action
in writing direct letter to the heads
Of governments rather than moving
through customary diplomatic chan
nels, and his assertion that the sit-
uation warranted "a personal inter.
change of views between the Presi-
dents Of the American Republics"
| stirred some speculation that he him.
self might attend the projected con.
! ference.
This conjecture drew no confirma.
tion from either the White House or
State Department. The possibility
nevertheless remained. In informed
quarters it was generally considered
certain that Secretary Hull would
attend in any event. The Secretary of
State personally headed the American
delegation to the al-American con-
ference at Montevideo in 1893.
Chaco Settlement Stressed.
In his various letters, the President
particularly stressed the recent peace.
full settlement of the long standing
Chaco conflict between Bolivia and
Paraguay.
Mr.. Roosevelt suggested three pos
sible avenues of approach to the
problem by such a conference.-the
prompt ratification of Pan-American
peace instruments already negotiated;
the amendment of such pactS, or the
creation of new agreements.
He then referred to the possible
effects of such steps upon world peace,
but did not elaborate his reference to
the League of Nations and "other
existing or future peace agencies"
The Roosevelt letters, which were
sent by airmail, were dated January
80, but were withheld from publica-
ton until the White House was cer-
tain all had reached their destination.
1t was stated oficially that some re-
plies already have been received, but
their contents were not announced.
1t was taken as matter of fact, how
ever, that the President would not
have dispatched his formal communi-
cations had he not been assured in
advance that they would be favorably
received.
ENJOYS Sounded Out.
Before his letters were sent. State
Department officials informally sound
ed out the ENJOYS of the South and
Central American countries here as to
the attitude of their governments
toward such a conference, and were
understood to have been given en-
thusiastic responses.
In this connection William Phillips,
(See ROOSEVELT, Page A-6)