Evening star., 1938-11-20


mainly from the standpoint Of their
probable economic value. Secretary
Blaine was especially interested in in
creasing the interchange of commodities
between this country and Latin Ameri-
can states. And throughout the whole
pan-American movement this aim has
not been lost to view OF the 81 subjects
discussed and agreed upon at the first
conference II were of an economic ma
ture. In the second conference II out Of
10 dealt with such subjects. In the third
conference 10 out of Is, in the fourth IL
out of IA, in the fifth Is out of 20, in the
sixth 90 out of 70 and in the seventh IA
out of % may be said to have dealt with
economic questions.
In Latin America, however, few at first
welcomed the idea that trade with the
United States should be stimulated. The
majority of Latin American nations de-
sired political rather than commercial
results. They seemed satisfied to trade
in the traditional markets and did not
propose to be dictated to in this respect
by the United States.
Hurt by Partisanship.
The type of delegate sent to the con-
ferences by the Latin American govern
ments emphasized this latter attitude,
and showed that the political and diplo-
matte aspects of the meetings were up
permost in their minds. The United
States, on the other hand. sent few dip
lomats to the earlier conferences prefer
ring businessmen and industrialists.
Therefore. in the earlier conferences the
delegates from the southern republics
distinctly outranked those from the
United States. This discrepancy, how
ever, has not remained in the later con-
ferences.
At the instigation of the panAmeri-
can movement by Secretary Blaine the
whole subject was viewed in the United
States through partisan eyes. and men
favored or opposed the movement ac-
cording as they were the political friends
or enemies of Mr.. Blaine. Many be-
lleved that the Secretary wished to use
the conference as a means of getting
into the presidency of the United States.
Traces of such partisan views were fire.
quently found in connection with other
early conferences, but fortunately they
disappeared by 1910.
The United States delegates went to
the first conference with no definite in
structlons and with few powers. They
were free within limits to use their dis
cretion in all discussions. The same
might be said of most of the delegations
from the other American states. But
after the first conference instructions
to the delegates became more and more
explicit. and often limited their actions
After the first conference the United
States and other countries considered
the actions of the conferences as recon-
mandatory and all acts which the dele
gates signed were referred to the home
governments for approval or rejection.
Have Attempted Too Much.
There was thus a tendency for the
meetings of the conferences to degen-
crate into friendly but rival contests of
fervent displays of oratory. After the
first conference the actual work was done
in committees, where most of the con-
f1icts were settled and where no minutes
were kept. This fact greatly shortened
the later conferences, and much the same
ground was covered in fewer days-the
first conference continued 200 days, the
second, 1O2 days; the third, 36 days; the
fourth, so days; the fifth, 40 days; the
SIXTH 36 days, and the seventh, "a days.
In each case the conferences have at
tempeted to accomplish too mucn, and
the results have been consequently small
when compared to the number of SUBJ
jects considered There, therefore, early
arose in the United States and abroad
feeling that the results did not justify
the efforts. and that the periodic con-
vening of representatives from the
American states was futile.
There have been several contributing
causes for the seeming material failure
of several of the conferences. The
racial temperaments of the American
peoples are fundamentally different. The
viewpoints on many questions are quite
opposite.
Different Types.
The men of the United States are emf
nently practical and businesslike, while
their Southern brothers are given more
to the superficial side of life. They
are idealists The social and intellectual
mannerisms are stressed. They are
esthetic rather than ethical. They are
jealous and proudly patriotic. An op-
portunity for self-expression in verbose
phrases is never missed. They welcome
such means as these conferences afford
to display their natural and national
abilities.
AS result great deal has been
said at some of the meetings and rela-
lively little has been actually accom-
plished. But great benefits have been
derived from good fellowship and from
the mutual interchange of views, thus
tending to remove national prejudices
and make for better understanding be-
tween the two peoples.
For these reasons the programs of
the succeeding conferences have changed
little. Some new topics have been added,
while ntfera have tAen dronnAd eitl,ar