Evening star., 1938-11-27

signed to forestall the lnterVentlon OF
foreign powers in favor of their nationals
doing business in Mexico is an idea fos-
tered personally by President Lazaro
Cardenas. It's chances of adoption at
the Lima conference are simmer than
those of the immediate creation Of
pan-American league of nations backed
by American army and navy. Mex-
icos delegation, which includes woman
generally regarded as a Communist and
others of equally radical tinge, is bound
to have tough shedding in Lima, where
conservative dictator rules and where
not even the Chileans, despite the re-
cent triumph of the Popular Front there,
can be counted on to side with them.
Log-rolling, of which the Montevideo
meeting of 1888 was shining example,
seems likely to be the factor that will
decide the fate of the Lima parley. 1t
would not be amiss to recall that in 1888,
before reaching Montevideo, Foreign
Minister Jose M. Puig-Casauranc Of
Mexico came to Washington, and then
went South by way of each Latin capital
on the route. The fact that he visited
presidents and chancellors of different
countries made Foreign Minister Saave-
dra Lamas of Argentina think that
Puig was trying to build up Mexican
led bloc that would take the play away
from Argentine hands. Therefore, the
Argentine foreign minister joined forces
with Argentinas traditional rival in
Pan-American conclaves, the United
States, and classic piece of log-rolling
developed.
The American delegation was opposed
to consideration of the Mexican program
of economic subjects and the Argentines
wanted the Saavedra Lamas peace doc
trine universally adopted. From the
| Argentine American huddle resulted
| Argentine opposition to consideration Of
the Mexican program. which was
fectual meeting at Santiago. Chile. and
American backing of the Saavedra
Lamas anti-war doctrine. Cubas vehem-
ent protests against some features of
American foreign policy we're drowned
in the icy silence created by Argentine
frigidity. The troublesome Mexican pro-
gram was squelched, and Mr.. Saaverdra
Lamas eventually received the Nobel
Peace Prize.
No Grudges Against U. S.
At this time, the situation shapes up
differently than in 1888, in the sense that
nobody holds a grudge against the
United States, except, and that not in
any large degree, Mexico, as result of
the appropriation controversy. Cuba is
now on the friendliest terms with this
country the good neighbor" policy still
weaves its spell over the Western Hemis-
phere, and the only relatively unknown
factor is what the attitude or Argentina
will be-
If Mr.. Hull keeps control over the
members OF the American delegation and
lets the touchy Argentines lead the play,
as they did in 1888, everything points to
cordial outcome, and the Lima confer
ence will have served its real purpose,
which is to warn Europe that the Amer
lean nations will stand for just so much
political or economic encroachment. If,
| on the other hand the struggle of per-
sonalities gets out of hand and the tradi-
tional prestige" wrangles start again,
the European potential aggressors will
be provided with a loud guffaw at the
expense Of the Western Hemisphere.
| Copyright, 1888, by North American Newspaper
Alliance, 1ncD