Evening star., 1936-12-27
PARLEY AT BUENOS AIRES
HELD PRACTICAL FAILURE
Torpedoing of Neutrality Pact Deprives
Conference of Benefits That
Had Been Hoped for.
BIZ CONSTANTINE BROWN.
TUE BuenoS Aires conference has
heen from the practical point

OF view, 1allure. IHe Oele-
4 gates spent the last days Of the
psrley going through the motions of
making it the outstanding peace
achievement in the last 20 years. There
were floods of oratory and every en-
deavor will be made to hide from the
public the fact that the Buenos Aires
parley has been just another confer
ence, with wishes and hopes, but no
practical results.
There was only one really important
principle on which complete agree
ment was essential-the principle of
the neutrality of the Americas in the
event Of another world war. And on
that point no agreement could be
reached. The other matters on the
agenda - -inter-American intellectual
cooperation, consultation in case of
trouble, etc.-are of q platonic and
meaningless character.
The failure to reach an agreement
on the vital question of neutrality has
dealt severe blow to the peace hopes
of the administration. AS the war
clouds are gathering more densely over
Europe and Asia, President Roosevelt
realizes that If the nations Of the old
continents were deprived of their
sources Of raw materials they would
find it increasingly difficult to wage
another war. This applies in particu-
lar to the most belligerent nations
the ''have nots" Germany, Italy and
Japan.
It is an open secret that Mr.. Roose-
welt intended to summon a conference
with the heads of the fully empowered
representatives of the leading world
powers to discuss the question of limi-
tation Of ornaments, the best ways
and means to prevent further agres-
sion, and, in connection with these,
reduction Of tariffs and q more equal
distribution Of raw materials. It was
tall order. But it was the only hope
Of avoiding another world war.
Common Front Needed.
In order to force the issue and in.
crease the chances of success Of such
. parley, it was essential that the
American continents-the principal
source Of raw materials for the have
nots"-should present to the rest of
the world a common front. Hence,
the importance of the neutrality
agreement pledging both continents of
the Western Hemisphere-witht the ex-
ception Of Canada-to apply finan-
cial and arms export embargo against
the belligerent nations.
Had the conference met q year
earlier, there would have been little
opposition from France and Great
Britain. In 1885 a European war
seemed still only possibility and not
probability.
The Presidents trip to Buenos Aires
aroused Europes interest. Special
correspondents were rushed to the
scene and diplomats were instructed
to keep as closely as possible in touch
with the developments. And while
of1cially France and Great Britain
were wishing the Americans the best
Of luck, there was a certain amount of
uneasiness lest Mr.. Roosevelts neu-
trality plans would be accepted.
War Is 50 close at hand that Great
Britain will need everything Argen-
tina and Brazil and Chile can export.
To Italy and Germany the matter was
Of still greater importance. France
was worried lest the neutrality agree
nent be applied to the aggressor and
aggressee alike.
And these powers began to work,
behind the scenes, in the capitals
where they were strongest: The
British in Argentina and Chile; the
Germans and the Italians in Brazil,
Bolivia, Chile and Argentina; the
French practically everywhere. These
nations, while likely to meet each
other as antagonists on the battle
fields Of Europe, worked for the
same purpose-to keep the South
American markets open as a source
Of supply.
Saavedra Aided Europe.
Saavedra Lamas, the Argentine
Foreign Minister and president Of the
conference, was the most important
asset of the European powers in pre-
venting the acceptance of the neu-
trality plan. The Argentine states
man has Just been elected president
Of the League of Nations, an honor
which he prizes as much as the Nobel
peace prize, bestowed upon him this
year through the efforts of Secretary
Oordell Hull.
- the other Latin Americans over
the visit Of President Roosevelt to
Buenos Aires. He was louder than the
others in his praise of 'the great
President of the great American sis
ter republic" He expressed his will
ingness to work hard for the purpose
Of establishing . permanent peace in
the Americas, but when the intoxica-
ton of speech making was over and
the problem Of neutrality agreement
came to the fore. he did not hesitate
to torpedo it remorselessly.
The United States did not ask any
thing impossible of the Latin Ameri-
can republics. Mr.. Hull proposed that
the two continents apply an embargo
on credits and on the export Of arms
ana ammunition to the belliserent
nations, As provided in the present
neutrality law Of the United States.
Surely, thought the Secretary Of State.
there could be no serious opposition to
such . plan, since none Of the other
participants Is in . position to grant
0 nickel's worth of credit to any one
and not one of the South American
republics has the possibility Of manu-
featuring arms and ammunition. As
Q matter Of fact, they all are In the
market to purchase implements Of
war.
But the Hull proposal was turned
down cold, not only because Saavedra
Iamas did not want to do anything
which might injure the League Of
Nations, but also because most OF the
South American states expect to bal
ance their budgets out Of another
international conflict.
war Might Yell Profits.
It Is true that they cannot export
arms and ammunition. But they are