Evening star., 1938-04-08
A Tranquil Hemisphere.

Tragic events across both the Atlantic
and the Pacific lend special significance
to the keynote struck by Secretary Hull
last night in his address celebrating Pan
American Day. Describing that annual
event as "a symbol of the unity and
peace of the Americas" he stressed that
"at no time has the occasion possessed
a more profound significance than it
does today" Truly does President Roose-
Velts principal co-adjutor in promotion
OF "the good neighbor' spirit remind the
sister Americans, as they view the world
scene, that they cannot but feel pro-
foundly grateful that peace, firmly estab-
Ished, prevails on our continent. Else
where, ominous clouds overhang dark
ening horizon
The annals of the Americas, even in
relatively recent times, are far from
comprising chapter of tranquility and
brotherly love unalloyed. But the con-
troversles among them have all proved to
be susceptible of settlement, though
ploouS coilIilcI IN some cases preceded
1t, because in the end the will to
peace" prevailed. The Colombian Peru
Wan boundary question has been
emlcably adjusted. Ecuador and Peru
have repeatedly demonstrated their in
sistent desire to settle only by pacific
means their long-standing territorial
dispute. Honduras and Nicaragua are
likewise demonstrating their wish to
compose by mutual accommodation
their recent controversy
All of the American republics have
manifested very live interest in the
arbitration Of the ancient Gran Chaco
teud, which for three years kept
Bolivia and Paraguay at devastating
war. The five mediatory countries
whose delegates have been in session at
Buenos Aires since 1885, continue to
render every possible assistance to the
d1sputants in reaching defnitive settle
ment Only a few months ago the
Dominican Republic and Haiti signed in
washington an agreement designed to
end a grave situation which had arisen
between the two Caribbean States. The
United States and Mexico, within the
past few days, have exchanged friendly
assurances which presage an accord
over differences that threatened another
grave crisis between us and our great
neignbor beyond the Rio Grande. Truly
does Secretary Hull argue that all these
developments are tangible and practical
evidences of pan-American spirit
Which envlsions at once a willingness
to adjust differences and determination
to create conditions in which such diff
ferences are less likely to arise"
- 1t Is we'll that inter- American re-
latlons, due primarily to the now virtu-
ally universal recognition that the
COLOSSUS of the North cherishes no
'imperialistlc designs" anywhere in
Latin America. today rest on the strong
est foundation of good will and common
trust in the hemispheres history. It is
well that this is so, because never be-
fore has pan-Americanism, and the
democratic ideal from which it is sprung,
faced so grave or direct a challenge as
today confronts it. All through Central
and South America, notably in Brazil
Argentina Chile and Peru, the "insidious
wiles of foreign influence"-Fascist and
Nazl, for the most part, Communist to
no inconsiderable extent-are at work.
United in combating them, the Ameri-
can republics need never fear the sub
versive effects of these alien ideologies
Latin America may rely upon the readi-
ness of the United States to spare no
effort in repelling them