Evening star., 1939-09-26
Neutrality for Americas

retary of State Sumner WelleS that
all the American republics join in
stating clearly and unequivocally to
the warning European nations that
belligerent activities must be kept
away from the New World contem-
plates one of the most effective steps
the countries of this hemisphere can
take to insulate themselves from the
conflict.
Sounding the keynote of the special
inter-American neutrality confer
ence at Panama City in an address
to the foreign ministers of the
twenty other American republics
represented there, Mr. Welles said
they cannot agree that their Sc
curity, their nationals or their
legitimate commercial rights and
interests should be jeopardized by
belligerent activities in close prox-
unity to the shores of the New
World. This assertion of principle,
believe, must be regarded as con-
stituting a declaration of the in
alienable right of the American
republics to protect themselves, so
far as conditions in this modern
world make 1t possible, from the
dangers and the repercussions of a
war which has broken out thousands
of miles from their shores, and in
which they are not involved"
Mr.. Welles made no attempt to
proclaim an offshore line on this
side of which belligerents are not to
operate, but it has been indicated
by President Roosevelt that the
United States will exercise terri
torial jurisdiction beyond the three
mile limit accepted in international
law. An extension to as much as
three hundred miles has been re-
ported under consideration. In this
connection, the suggestion, already
before the delegates at Panama City,
for an inter American naval patrol,
possesses particular significance.
The purpose of the Panama gath
ering, as stated by Mr. Welles, is not
only to weigh those measures which
the republics can take individually
and collectively to keep the Western
Hemisphere out of war, but to con-
slider the means of obtaining full
respect by the belligerents for the
neutrality of the American nations
and to cushion the inevitable eco
nomic effect of the conflict upon the
American neutrals. It is a difficult
task, for the tentacles of war are
long and multifarious, but it is made
easier by the unanimity of desire
to insulate the Americas from the
raging conflict.
1t is happy augury for the sue
cess of the conference that the most
powerful Nation in this hemisphere
has taken such a determined initi-
ative against the spread of the
conflict and has supplemented that
initiative with concrete proposals
for assistance from the United States
to its sister republics in meeting war
time exigencies.
First, Mr.. Welles assured his COL
leagues that as long as the war con-
tinues the United States will not
only maintain the regular trans
portation facilities now in operation
between the United States and its
neighbors, but will strengthen and
increase them whenever such an
increase is found desirable and
feasible.
This is important to the American
republics, which depend not only
upon the sea for their outlets to
foreign markets and access to for
eign supplies, but, with British ships
the targets for German submarines,
depend now primarily upon the
American merchant marine for the
safe carriage of their goods, both
for export and import.
Second, Mr.. Welles assured the
delegates that their countries would
have access to American credit facil-
tties-presumably through the Ex-
port-Import Bank-for the financing
OF their purchases for the develop
ment of resources along sound eco
nomic and n-competitive lines.'
In the breakdown of foreign mar
kets and foreign sources of supply
1t may be necessary for some of the
American republics to moderate the
emphasis on production of one or
two chief articles Of foodstuffs or
raw materials in favor of other COM
modities for which markets may not
be so seriously disturbed. To assist
that transformation in production
the United States stands ready to
lend its aid.
Neutrality of the Americas as a
whole depends most of all upon the
ability Of the United States to keep
out of the conflict. Mr.. Welles'
speech was promise not only to
the other republics but to the citi-
zens Of this country that the United