Evening star., 1936-03-15
BY GASTON NERVAL.

NRESlDENT hOOSEVELTS 3 sug-
- gestion Of an inter-American
peace conference has been IA
n vorably received by ofncial
Latin America.
The formal replies Of the Latin
American chief executives are out
spoken in their Endorsement Of the
idea, and rich in diplomatic phrase
ology praising The cause of peace and
cooperation in this Western Hemi-
sphere.
Each government has promptly, and
gladly, seized the opportunity to re-
state its devotion to the principles ri
peace devotion which, in the case
Of most Latin American nations, can
be taken as sincere-and TO promise
support In any new endeavor to per-
feet the existing peace machinery.
All of this, of course, is only as had
been expected. Even before the text
of the Presidents letter had been made
public. it was easy to predict that the
official response would be encouraging
The men in charge of the Southern
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ested in the prevention of war as the
statesmen Of any land. and, at time
Of unprecedented improvement in
their diplomatic relations with the
United States. they were bound to ap-
prove the proposal for round-table
conference in which such an improve
ment might be consolidated.
Public Opinion Needed.
The real test for the success of the
projected conference still remains,
therefore, the extent to which public
opinion In Latin America is sold on
the idea that something really worth
while, practical and effective, is to re-
suit from it, not just another bunch
of beautiful speeches and resolutions
OF good intentions.
Yet, even among these official re-
plies Of the Latin American govern
ments there are some which go be-
yond the protocolar sign of assent and,
in the discreet language of diplomacy,
give expression to certain thoughts
paramount in the minds of their
people.
The Argentine reply, for instance,
after appiauding the suggestion and
accepting gracefully to lend its capi-
tai for the seat of the proposed parley,
ends with a highly eloquent note.
President Justo declares that the task
Of the consolidation of peace cannot
be confined to the mere improvement
of existing peace instruments, but
must be extended to include the re-
moyal of the causes which make for
war. In his insistence that this would
require the discussion Of important
economic, social and political ques-
tions, students of inter-American re-
lations will recognize an almost ira
ditional view of Argentine foreign
policy, and one which is becoming
daily more popular throughout Latin
America at large.
President Lopez Of Colombia is just
as emphatic, and perhaps even more
specific, in his reference to the need
of actual and tangible results. Colom-
bia, he says, would not be satisfied
with the ratification of the present
peace agreements without making an
effort to establish more efficient in
struments to outlaw war and to stop
and punish the aggressor. He recalls
the failure of the former to safeguard
the peace of the New World, and ex-
presses the hope that the proposed
conference may find it possible to dis
cuss the setting up of league Of
American nations capable of collabo-
rating with the world organization at
Geneva, but free, nevertheless, to en-