Evening star., 1938-12-26
Accomplishments Substantial
As Lima Conference Neors End
PorIey Has Dealt With Three Out of Five
Topics 1t Faced at Beginning

of their big neighbor to the north.
This was a far cry from previous
conferences when a few of them
bitterly denounced Uncle Sam for
intervention in their internal af-
fairs.
The word democracy is not the
rallying cry down here that it is up
north. Some nations with govern
ments that tend toward the dicta-
torial are distinctly shy of the word
this was another of the deep
lying factors in political thought
which the conference brought to
the foreground.
Trend Away From Pacts.
Still another was the trend OF
pan American conferences away
from pacts to resolutions and dec
larations.
The nations were willing to put
stronger language into resolutions
which do not have to be approved
by their Congresses. They also re-
allied that in the past pacts have
been ratified by Western Hemi-
sphere Congresses only after dis
appointing delays and sometimes
disastrous omissions.
Regardless Of all their protesta-
tions for American solidarity,
Latin American nations also seemed
determined not to cut themselves
of from Europe, birthplace of the
culture and language of large part
of the population.
The United States went along
with them wholeheartedly on this
point, Hull declaring he wanted to
increase economic exchanges not
only among Western Hemisphere
nations but also with the remain
der of the world.
OF the five major projects brought
here the United States delegation
was greatly interested in only three
the economics resolution, the uni
flcation of existing peace agreements
and continental solidarity. The
Washington group gained its first
objective, saw the second at least
temporarily laid aside and was in
strumental in solidifying support
for the third.
Proposals Left for Future.
Among proposals deftly shifted to
the future to avoid possible dissen-
sion the principal ones were the
Argentine and Mexican plans for an
agreement under which the ma
tions would have renounced diplo-
matte protection for their citizens
engaged in cooperative business in
other countries
The conference once more put
itself on record as refusing to rec
ognize territory gained by force or
other pressure. The United States
delegates interpreted the measure to
apply only to this hemisphere, thus
leaving Washington free regarding
recognition of the italian conquest
of Ethiopia and Japan's military &C
tions in Manchukuo and China.
The conference also passed a
strong denunciation of racial and
religious persecution.
When all the whereases and
wherefores are analyzed by his
tory 1t is quite possible that the
answer to that question of the his
tory student of 20 years from now
will lie in decisions which failed to
take headline position during the
conference.
These might be a series of agree
ments to better communications and
cultural relations among pan-Am-
erican nations and steps to speed
up. construction of a American
highway over which automobile and
trailer tourists some day may travel.
Superhighway Foreseen.
Some delegates foresaw a high
way which would more than match
the ocean highways between the
Americas and Europe and the
Orient.
The conference approved moves to
better ocean transport among the
Americas, reduction of taxes and
other restrictions on it, more radio
transmission among American
states, greater exchanges of profess
sors, students and books and wider
support of pan-American technical
conferences.
The conference provided for meet
ings of treasury officials on COM
mon financial problems.
Behind all these things were the
personal contacts between outstand-
ing statesmen. Many met as old
friends. Some made new friend
ships.
Secretary Hull will leave for
Washington on Wednesday with the
thought in mind that, aside from
all the trumpeting and drama over
political decisions, handshakes and
friendly conversation were a real
contribution to friendship in the
Wastarr uanoicDhoro