Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1939-09-17

Inc european CdCdCylSHl mas given IIlc
administration an opening to CONSOLE
date relations with the nations of the
Western Hemisphere, and neither the
White House nor the State Department
has lost time in striking while the iron
Is hot
A Pan-American conference has been
summoned with the utmost speed. 1t
will open at Panama this week. The
delegates of the South American repub-
lies will just have time to make the trip,
mostly by air, to reach the Panamanian
capital for the opening date. They will
hang their tooth brushes in their apart
ments and start to work Immediately.
The purpose of the conference, accord
ing to the official agenda, is to discuss
the neutrality of the American republics,
the preservation of peace in the Western
Hemisphere, and economic cooperation.
These are wide open questions with
plenty of space to fill in when the repre-
sentatives of the United States and the
other republics south of the Rio Grande
get together.
The United States Government will
be represented by delegation headed by
Undersecretary Of State Sumner Welles,
who knows South America better, and far
more realistically, than he knows the
other continents.
The haste shown by President Roose-
welt in summoning this conference in
dictates clearly that the administration
intends to take advantage of the inter-
national situation to strengthen the still
somewhat loose ties with the republics
of the southern continent at time
when we all need one another. What
the consequences of the new war will be
to the European nations no one dares to
forecast. But if that civilization COL
lapses. the tragedy may at least find
this side of the world tied together to
form a bulwark against the resulting
anarchy across the Atlantic and the
plans for world conquest from beyond
the Pacific.
Contrasts With 1915.
The rapjidity with which the Amer
lean republics have got together is in
sharp contrast with the slowness dis
played in 1915 by the then Secretary of
State, William Jennings Bryan. When
"the last World War" broke out. Mr..
Bryan was approached with a view to
summoning a conference similar to the
one now scheduled. Ambassadors Of the
major South American republics urged
him to take the lead in bringing about
discussion covering the common psob-
lens of the two continents. Mr.. Bryan
did summon such a parley-about 10
months later. From the general point
of view of maintaining peace in North
and South America, this conference is
of paramount importance.
For the time being there is peace
across the Rio Grande. But there are
important German and Italian influ-
ences down there. These, when the war
becomes older, might be brought into
play There may-some say there will
be attempts to sabotage the unity of the
Western Hemisphere by the creation of
revolutions and uprisings by those who
wish to fish in troubled waters. 1t is
for this reason that one of the principal
topics to be discussed and agreed upon
at the Panama conference will be the
question of "the punishment of the vio-
lation of neutrality and subversive &C
tivities of nationals of belligerent ma
tons" For many years the Latin Amer
lean republics have been fertile ground
for revolutions. These have been, in
many cases, prompted by selfish inter-
ests of various POLITICS, but in many in
stances. especially since Hitler and Mus
solini began showing their ambition for
world supremacy, they have been en-
couraged by foreign agents and sustained
by foreign funds and arms.
Concrete Results Expected.
This state of affairs will be changed
henceforth. The agreement resulting
from the conference is expected to pro-
duce concrete results. Uniform legisla-
ton against this sabotage of the peace
of the Western nations is unlikely. But
a general agreement is expected for a
thorough enforcement of the principle
that foreigners who dabble in national
affairs of the Latin american states will
be met with drastic reprisals. There will
no longer be war nests in any Of the
South American nations and thinner
man incidents are unlikely to occur
again.
Neither will European powers be able
to force some of the weaker South
American republics to shelter and con-
ceal men-of war-especially submarines.
1t is known here that there have been
attempts made by both warning factions
to obtain through pressure and promises
the use of some unknown far-away Is
lands in the South Atlantic for the pur-
pose of waging a submarine warfare
against each others shipping. These
efforts may be successful unless some
water-tight agreement is reached at
Panama. And Great Britain's powerful
South American influence will be solidly
behind Mr.. Welles' plans
The shipping of goods from the South
American republics to Europe In mer-
chantmen flying the flags of Latin
America, was treated like step-child
between 1914 and 1918. These ships, be-
cause they could not boast the protection
OF powerful navy, were kicked about
and molested by all concerned. There is
a heading in the agenda of the Panama
Conference providing for the discussion Of
guarding against disruption of legal