Evening star., 1939-12-24
Naval Battle May Weaken U.S..
In South American Relations
Pan.American Nations Expect President to Take
Firm Stand and Prevent Violations of
3OO.N1ile Zone
Bv Constantine Broom.

This article ,Dds Uritten before yes
terddy's announcement OF the ,D0rn-
ting sent to the belltgerents by II
American republtcs.)
If Undersecretary Of State Sumner
Welles and other experts on Latin
American affairs have their way, there
will be no other fight between European
men-of-war in American waters within
the limits OF the 300-mile safety belt.
The combat between the German pocket
battleship Graf Spec and the British
cruisers within the territorial waters of
Uruguay has awakened American Of
ficialdom to the realization that unless
the pledges of the Americas at the Pam
ANA conference are strictly kept by all
the signatories, with the United States
at their head, there is but scant chance
of creating a homogeneity OF policies
between the republics of the Western
Hemisphere.
On September II an imposing Ameri-
can delegation headed by Undersecre-
tary Of State Welles reached Panama.
Representatives of all the South and
Central American republics had been
summoned post-haste to attend this
momentous conference The war in
Europe was still young. But Presi-
dent Roosevelt believed that it would
be long struggle.
1t was believed that this was going to
be conference like most of the other
conferences. Economic steps would be
taken to soften the shock of the Euro
pean war and certain more or less high
sounding resolutions were to be passed.
After the usual amount of oratorical
outburst, the conference was to adjourn
with official statements that everything
was being done for the best interests
Of the Western Hemisphere.
Diplomats Are Astounded.
But the American diplomats
were astounded. Within a few hours
after his arrival Mr.. Welles began to
call privately on the various chiefs of
missions, carrying in his briefcase a
sensational plan-a second Monroe
Doctrine. The head of the American
mission assured his colleagues-whom
he understands better than any living
American diplomat-that the Latin
American republics would be taken
care OF economically by Uncle Sam.
This ought to be the least of their wor-
ries. But far more important than a
reciprocal economic cooperation should
be determined effort on the part Of
the Americas to keep the present over
seas war far away from American shores.
He suggested safety beta 300-mile-
wide stretch of water in which bellig-
erent ships could not operate
The eyes of the other delegates popped
out of their heads. 1t was indeed a
revolutionary measure; it was a step
toward true neutrality. 1t meant that
the bullying of the smaller Latin-Amer-
ican republics by the European powers
which have cruisers and submarines
was over.
The fundamental thought of the
delegates of the southern republics
was that raiders belonging to bellig-
erents would no longer be able to disrupt
normal coastwise traffic on the Atlantic
and Pacific Oceans if such raiders were
informed that they could not operate
within 300 miles of the coast. They
did not think that a second Coronel
or Falkland Island battle could occur
since Germany no longer possesses a
Pacific feet as she did during the
last war
An Unexpected Situation.
But the recent naval fight in the
South Atlantic has revealed some
what unexpected situation. 1t is evil
dent that Europe is bringing its troubles
with all their implications, to American
shores.
The Latin Americans are alarmed;
they expected the United States to take
drastic steps to enforce a safety belt
which was not created at their asking
They had been persuaded into accept
ing the American point of view in
strengthening the Monroe Doctrine and
they see now that its very foundations
might be shaken If the most powerful
nation in this hemisphere shirks her
responsibilities.
When the idea of the 300-mile safety