Evening star., 1938-12-12

Foretgn munster Carlos CoGchG
Joined in calling for an agree
ment to bar foreign military or
political tnDasion of the Americas.
By ANDRUE BERDING,
Associated Press Foreign Correspondent
LIMA. Peru, Dec. 21.-Alfranio de
Mello Franco, former foreign minis
ter of Brazil, today was elected
chairman of the important Pan
American Conference Committee for
the Organization of Peace.
The committee, of which ALI M.
Landon Is the chief United States
member, already has started work
on sweeping project for safeguard
ing the security of the Americas.
A meeting of the committee was
the first order of business today,
which included meetings of half
dozen other committees mostly for
organization. The Peace Committee
must handle the potent problem Of
co-ordinating various Americas for
Americans" plans into one instru-
ment which will be acceptable to the
whole conference.
The security project was ad-
vanced by Venezuela. 1t defines
what would be aggression from
non American nation and calls for
immediate consultation and COM
mon action by the Americas in event
of attack.
Some of the delegates considered
the project too advanced in con-
cept for conference approval in it's
present form, but from the commit
tee discussion may emerge draft
acceptable to all.
The committee was easily the
most important of the various groups
swinging into vigorous action today,
after the ceremonies of convoking
the congress Friday and Saturday.
Favorable Peace Omen.
Some delegates saw a favorable
omen for peace legislation in the
address by Jose Maria Cantilo, for
eign minister Of Argentina, who said
on Saturday that the American
nations were ready to maintain a
common front against any danger
which might menace the independ-
ence and sovereignty of any of them.
In view of the previous Argentine
attitude against any step drawing
away from European ties, the feeling
prevailed that Cantilo took a step
further than might have been ex-
pected.
| Deciding to return home today,
Cantilo instructed his delegation to
proceed upon the outline of his
speech but no further.
Much criticism of the Venezuela
aggression project was that it did
not consider the possibility of in
vasion of the hemisphere by political
activities of the American
nations, which both Cantilo and
Secretary Hull, chief of the United
States delegation, mentioned in their
Saturday speeches.
The United States delegation
would like to see something included
on this.
Aggression Is Defined.
The Venezuela plan" without ex-
aggerating future dangers" and
without sowing suspicious" de-
clares that "for America the moment
has arrived to think and work con-
tinentally, to unity its action and
its methods of defense in the face
of emergencies that might arise
The definition of aggression in
cludes: Force to settle differences
rather than use of the courts;
declaration of war on one of the
signatories; invasion by armed
forces; attack by land, air or sea:
a naval blockade; support to armed
bands invading one of the Americas.
The Argentine and Mexican dele
gates are working on a resolution
calling for the end of the Spanish
civil war and offering pan-American
mediation, hoping they can win
unanimous backing of the confer
| ence.
Secretary Hull, although he an
nounced long list of United States
Representatives to serve on the seven
executive committees, carefully kept
himself from any of them.
Hull Sees Other Chairmen.
He continues to function as chair
man of the delegation and, of the
highest importance, to consult with
other delegation chairmen in fur
thering his hope for a common
viewpoint at the conference.
Mr.. Landon, former Kansas Gov
ernor, took the most important ex-
ecutive post as chief of the United
States delegation on the Peace Or
ganization Committee.
The Rev. John F. O'Hara, preSi-
dent of Notre Dame University, re-
vealed that Mr.. Landon had offered
to raise from private sources fund
for exchange of college professors
between the United States and Latin
America in an effort to better
frinedly relations.
Assistant Secretary OF State Adolf
A. Berle is chief of the United States
delegation on the Economics Com
mittee and may present declara-
ton for further lowering of trade
barriers as means of improving
living standards and the bettering
chances of peace.