The Western news. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1933-current, 1937-01-14
SEEN
HEARD
around the
NATIONAL
CAPITAL
] By Carter Field ~
By Carter Field i

WASHINGTON. - There Is no
concealing the disappointment over
President Roosevelt's trip to Buenos
Aires, and about the conference it.
self, so far as the real detectives
were concerned.
This does not mean that any real
harm was done by the conference.
On the contrary, all such Pan-Amer-
lean gatherings, and this one in
particular, have decidedly beneficial
effects. The rows that come to light
and make the newspaper headlines
do not originate. save in rare In
stances, at the conferences. They
were there before, and were poten-
tial sources for real trouble. Fan.
ming them up by few agitators
seeking to cause embarrassment to
this or that country actually contrib
utes to the cause of peace, and
assuredly tends toward better TN
derstanding.
It is all of a piece with the British
idea about Hyde park, where agi-.
tators can argue for almost any
thing they please. II serves to blow
off steam. In the case of this and
other Pan-AmerieGh conferences it
forces open consideration of issues,
which we're tending to become fes-
tering sores. It forces presentation
OF the other side of any particular
controversy. 1t brings about diff
ferent public reaction-putting the
observer more or less in the position
II judge-where there might have
been danger that he would become
a crusading fanatic.
In fact, it is good thing for
everybody involved even the
would-be revolutionary--if his cause
has sufficient merit.
But the underlying hopes for this
particular conference had much
broader scope. The recent confer
ence was not inspired by any mere
desire to preserve peace in Amer
lea. There was not much danger of
any nation in the Western hemi-
sphere being dragged into the Eu-
ropean mess, anyhow. The hopes
were two, both aimed at Europe.
Would Set Example
One was by example. 1t was
thought that If the peoples of Eu-
rope observed this conference-how
all the aims and aspirations of rival
nations could be settled around a
council board--and how the twenty
one nations over here bound them
selves not to get in any war-there
would be an irresistible impulse in
Europe to 60 and do likewise. 1t
was thought this would prove a
powerful deterrent to war across
the sea.
Now ii is true that some enthu-
s-asts will trace the offer to return
some Of the German colonies to
this example, but the plain fact
seems TO be, If one may pay any
attention TO the news from Europe,
that the Pan-American conference
at Buenos Aires was simply dis
regarded In all the European capi-
tails 1t was overshadoWed in news
interest by the EdWard-Mrs Simp-
son affair, but it did not even play
second role to that, with all sorts
OF European gestures occupying
what attention could be diverted
[. ON this problem of BIRTHS
royalty
The other objective OF the Buenos
Ares conference was to get the
nations of America to agree upon
neutrality policy, with a dim
hope that they might even agree to
stop trading with any nation that
went to war
Diplomats of all the countries in
volved have been telling their
friends privately. since the objec-
tive became clear. that this was
absolutely hopeless. Furthermore.
that it would not amount to any
thing if obtained, as the first nation
to see a chance to make a dollar
by violating it would do so.
The fact remains that this was
the hope, and that it, like the hope
for the good example, has been
dashed
Some Not Happy
Two comparatively small groups
Of New Dealers are not SO happy
as their colleagues over develop
.ments. 1t is no secret in inside
Washington circles that two of this
minority are no other than Justice
Louis D. Brandeis and Professor
Felix Frankfuter.
Both agree in wanting to help
the under dos. and in being against
bigness-not only in corporations,
but in certain other things, includ-
ing even labor unions. Then there
is concern on the part of some of
the worried group over the con-
sumer.
There are two distinct viewpoints
here - one concerning itself about
what might be called unorganized
labor, and the other about the con-
suner.
As far as the consumer is con-
cerned the difficulty is very clear.
All these wage boosts and hour
decreases in industry mean that the