Evening star., 1938-08-02

In connection with 4 dispute resulting
from the death Of Haitian citizeus In
the Dominican Republic. subse-
quently. at the suggestion Of the three
inviting governmental, Haiti invoked
the applicable inter-American peace
and in January, 1898, the
disputant governments were enabled
to reach within that machinery mu-
tually setisfactory agreement.
Early in 1898 this country took the
initiative in proposing to . number
Of governments in Europe and America
that they cooperate in setting up
special committee for Sl1e purpose OF
facilitating the emigration from Ger
many of political refugees. More than
30 governments responded to the sug-
gestion OF the United States, and, on
July 6, upon the invitation Of the
French government. the intergov-
ernmental meeting on political refu-
gees convened at Evian. The meet
ing adopted . resolution laying down
general principles to be followed In
dealing with the complex problem OF
political refugees, and. adjourning on
July IA, agreed to reconvene in Lon
don on August : to effect . perma-
nent intergovernmental organization.
In the period Of IS months under
review, the Department Of State has
been concerned directly or indirectly
with nearly $50 international con-
committees, and during this same Pc
Rod this Government has concluded
and ratified no less than 200 treaties
and agreements promoting and pro-
tecting American interests in all parts
Of the world.
Arms Limitation Furthered.
For many years the people and the
Government of the United Stated have
given solicitous attention to the prob
lem Of Limitation and reduction Of
armament One Of the first acts Of
the present administration in the field
of foreign relations was to give sup
port to the work of the General Dis
armament Conference, which was in
session at Geneva. Thereafter, for
many months 1t made every practical
BILE effort to bring about at Geneva
an international agreement on limi-
tation and reduction Of armament and
q further agreement for supervision
and control of the international trafiic
in arms. This country participated
in the London Naval Conference Of
1856, which did not produce q treaty,
and. again, in the conference of 1896,
which produced the London naval
treaty, since ratified by the United
States, Great Britain and France
That treaty provides for restriction Of
types of vessels, for advance notinca-
ton of naval programs and for ex-
changing Of information.
Over and over the administration
has reamrmed this country's readiness
to join with other countries in Q COM
mon effort to achieve agreement on
limitation and reduction Of armament.
At the same time, in the light Of the
world situation and developments, 1t
has been compelled to take-and has
taken-appropriate steps to maintain
and render adequate this countTys 8
military and naval establishments.
During recent years this country
along with others has been confronted
with an increasing number and variety
Of delicate and difncult problems aris-
ing from civil and international armed
conflicts in several parts Of the world.
1t is . traditional principle Of the
foreign policy of the United States
to avoid alliances and entangling COM
mitments. It has been clear that the
people of this country desire not to be
involved in use of armed force unless
necessary for self-defense. The Con.
gress has passed neutrality" legisla-
ton. The executive branch Of the
Government has in its conducting OF
foreign relations adhered scrupulously
to the fundamental principles of neu-
trality. non-interference and non-in-
volvement.
Much Werk Unpublished.
In any and every account or consid-
Grafton of the activities and achieve
ments of any administration, whether
public or private, all who are interested
and concerned should be mindful OF
the routine work, the non-spectaculal
and the unpublicized but necessary and
invaluable run-of-the-mill effort. Al
all times, every administration Is busily
engaged in tasks Of protection and oi
preventing injuries and Losses. During
the past five years questions which
have arisen In that field of effort have
been extraordinary in number. ir
variety and in novelty Of character
There have been many matters ir
regard to which new ground has had
to be broken, new courses charted,
where the business Of choosing has
been of great importance.
The administration has, I firmly
believe, had q Tremendously high "bat-
ting average" in the matter OF choosing
the best of possible courses Of action
In . period Of confusion, disorder and
conflict In world affairs and Of great
divergences Of opinion among our owl
people, the Government, guided by
rules Of law and rules Of reason (com-
mon sense), has given . maximum OF
possible, practicable. lawful and ap-
propriate protection to American