Evening star., 1939-10-03
Americas Begin
Notifying Be||igerents
Of Safety Zone
Continental Secs for
Western Hemisphere
Outlined at Ponumu
By the Associated Press.

PANAMA, Oct. 3. - Twenty one
American republics. having outlined
a Western Hemisphere safety zone
to insulate them from the European
war, today started formal notifica-
ton to belligerents of their action.
At the suggestion Of United States
Undersecretary of State Sumner
Welles. President Juan Demostenes
Arosemena of Panama was requested
by the Inter American Congress to
communicate to warning nations the
neutrality declaration adopted last
night.
The republics voiced their inten-
ton of remaining apart from the
European conflict" but declared
they would demand their proper
rights" as neutrals. Some delegates
called the declaration of Panama q
complement to the Monroe Doc
trine." They said it established for
the first time continental American
seas"
Each to Adopt Its Own Methods.
The declaration asserted neutral
American republics have the indis-
putable right to preserve free from
all hostile acts" the waters adjacent
to the American continents.
Failure of belligerents to recognize
the zone would bring necessary
measures" to be decided upon after
consultation.
The declaration of general neu-
trality" allowed each country to
adopt its own method of making it
effective and fixed uniform stand
ards, rights and obligations of neu-
trails with belligerents.
1t provided that American ma
tions should not permit their in
habitants to jeopardize the neutral
ity OF the Western Hemisphere by
their activities. nor permit enlist
mentS or preparation of expeditions
in favor of belligerents on their soil.
Other measures said the nations
l. Shall not permit their terri
tories to be used as bases for bellig-
erent activities.
2. Shall bar belligerent warships
from their ports or waters in num-
bers of more than three at a time
and permit their presence for not
longer than "a hours.
3. Shall demand tnat belligerent
craft seeking hospitals in American
zones respect neutrality laws and
regulations.
4. Shall hold flights of belligerent
aircraft over American territory to
be neutrality infractions.
S. Shall be authorized to station
guards aboard belligerent merchant
vessels in American ports and intern
such ships for excessive delay in
port.
6. Shall permit transfer "in good
faith and without resale" of bellig-
erent vessels to neutral American
republics.
Z. Shall bar armed merchant YES
sells from entering their ports when
the boats carry more than 6-inch
cannon on their prows. These YES
sells shall not have reinforced sides
or other offensive equipment.
10. May exclude belligerent subma-
rines, or admit them on the condi-
ton they enter afloat flying the flag
Of their nation.
Solidarity Reaffirmed.
A solidarity declaration reaffirmed
the 1898 Lima conferences declara-
ton Of solidarity among the peoples
Of this hemisphere, pledged the par
ticipants to strengthen harmony
among themselves and formulated
fervent hopes for cessation Of the
deplorable state of war" and Europe
and "a new reign in the world OF
peace, not of violence but of justice
and right"
All measures adopted yesterday
were to be strengthened by a gen.
eral economic program to be drawn
up by q permanent advisory commit
tee to be located in Washington. A
permanent neutrality committee Of
seven international law experts also
was authorized.
The neutrality zone begins at
Passamaquoddy Bay at the United
States Canadian border in the At
lantic, takes in the Caribbean area
and Panama Canal approaches in
both the Atlantic and Pacific.
In the Pacific, 1t includes Quada-
lupe Island, 200 miles OF the coast
Of Southern California, and extends
along the North American Coast a.
fsr as Juan de Fucca Straits at the
United States-C Canadian border
Territorial waters Of foreign posses
sionS In tho Americas are not In.
cluded.