Evening star., 1938-12-26
The Declaration of Limo

Riding the storm of controversy
which momentarily threatened to
wreck an accord, the twenty-one
Americas on Saturday gave the world
a striking demonstration of the DEM
ocratic process. The Declaration of
Lima is the result. It is fortnight,
unequivocal warning to totalitarian
powers that the republics of this
hemisphere are determined to stand
together in defense of the institutions
peculiar to the New World. The
declaration does not 60 the length
for which the United States hoped.
But it goes much further than Ar
gentina originally wanted to go. 1t
Is, in other words, a compromise,
which sacrifices unessential details
for the sake of the fundamental OBJ
jective. 1t leaves neither victor nor
vanquished.
Avowing their decision to protect
themselves against all foreign inter-
vention or activities" the American
republics declare that in case the
peace, security or territorial integrity
of any one of them is threatened by
acts of any nature that may impair
them, they proclaim their common
concern and their determination to
make effective their solidarity, CO.
ordinatlng their respective sovereign
wills by means of the procedure of
consultation established by the con-
ventions in force and by declarations
OF other inter- r-American conferences,
using measures that in each case
circumstances may make advisable"
Between the lines of this somewhat
verbose and, to the lay mind, in
volved Technology, one cleaning
purpose looms. Interested quarters
In Berlin, Rome and Toxic will not
fail to discern it. That purpose is
the firm intention and instant readi-
ness of the sister American states,
in the hour of emergency, to stand
and to march-Shoulder to shoulder.
Secretary Hull hailed the declara-
ton as evidence of an unprecedented
feeling of solidarity; as recognition
that American institutions and the
absolute sovereignty of each Ameri-
can nation are indispensable to the
welfare of this hemisphere; and as a
guarantee that the peoples on this
side of the Atlantic and Pacific will
close ranks if menaced by military,
economic or cultural aggression from
any quarter on earth. The spokes-
man of Brazil, which was last to
sign the declaration, identified him
self with Mr.. Hulls statement in
these words: America continues
united and vigilant in safeguarding
her common interests, in defending
her peace, and in efforts toward
collaboration.
In light of the final achievement
and OF the give -andtake spirit that
produced it, scant attention need be
paid to attempts of captious observers
at Lima, especially Nazi mischief
makers, to depict the Declaration as
a diplomatic defeat for the United
States. Typical of such efforts was
the German broadcast at the close of
the conference describing it as fall
ure because of the difference of
opinion that developed among the
delegations over solidarity. The po-
litical mentality prevalent in die
tator-ridden countries is incapable
of understanding the democratic sys-
tenn that enabled all schools of
thought to have their day in court in
Peru, permitted differences, how
ever diverse, to be thrashed out in
the open, and finally made possible
an agreement acceptable to all.
The people of the United States
are grateful to Secretary Hull, Gov
ernor Landon and their associates
for contributing so signally this
country's share in the work of con-