Evening star., 1940-07-21

States TO suggest that this meeting be
held at this time. It originally was
scheduled, under resolution adopted
at similar conference at Panama last
fall, to convene October /.
As plans were being made to hold the
conference earlier, the United States on
June 1s formally notified Germany and
italy 1t would not recognize any transfer
Of a geographical region of the Western
Hemisphere from one on-American
power to another and would not &C.
quiesce In any attempt to undertake
such transfer This policy under the
Monroe Doctrine was re-emphasized by
Secretary of State Hull July after Ger
many rejected the implied "hands-off"
America warning by contending, In
effect, that she had as much right to pos
sess territory In this hemisphere as
Great Britain and France. The next
day President Roosevelt made 1t clear
that this Government expected all the
other American nations to take part in
formulating definite plan of action to
meet actual situations that might arise
to impair the present sovereignty Of
any New World territory
Thus, one of the most important tasks
of the conference here is to seek agree
ment on an effective program to MAIN
tain the policy against any American
territorial transfers between nom
American powers.
Mandates Suggested.
Brazil and Cuba have suggested that
the Americas establish mandates or pro-
tectorates over any territory which
might be involved in an attempted
transfer. Bra1l's suggestion would
make the American nation closest to the
colony involved, or most seriously af-
fected by its status, responsible for the
protectorate. In this way, the United
States might assume protection OF the
Caribbean Islands which are important
to the defense of the Panama Canal,
while Brazil might be given q protec-
torate over the Guianas. The Cuban
plan, on the other hand, would estab-
lsh a collective mandate or "joint
guardianship" for menaced colonies, un-
less they should choose to declare them
selves independent states or attach
themselves to American states with
which they have an affinity"
Leopold Melo, head of the Argentine
delegation, has promised collaboration
in any plans "favoring liberty and in
negation of the right of conquest" with
the important reservation that Argen.
tina maintains claim to the Falkland
Islands British naval base in the
South Atlantic-for herself.
Military Cooperation.
There Is a strong sentiment among
some of the Latin American delegations
for measures to assure the utmost mill
tary cooperation for hemisphere de-
fense. Cuban Secretary of State Miguel
Campo forsees adoption of military pacts
under which all the American nations
would work as one in protection of the
continent from invasion by foreign pow.
ers. This conference is not expected to
do much more than inaugurate action
along this line, however, with final plans
to be worked out by the military STATS of
the various governments. One aspect of
the military problem most likely to be
considered Immediately concerns possible
arrangements for establishment of air
bases by the United States at strategic
points throughout Latin America.
Fear Of Consequences.
In consideration Of programs for Joint
action in the economic as we'll as mill
tary and other fields, most of the dele
gates will be impelled by fear OF the
consequences of facing alone the de-
mands Of victorious Germany to CO.
operate fully with the United States and
other sister republics. There also is
the fear that action which offends Ger
many would be disastrous unless a really
effective American unity, backed up with
all the financial and military resources
of the United States, is achieved. In
other words, no halfway measures will
suffice.
German propaganda during recent
weeks left no doubt that reprisals will
be attempted if action to resist her eco
nomic and political penetration into the
New World is undertaken at this con-
ference, convincing the delegates that
any program they adopt must be strong
enough to withstand any possible Nazi
retaliatory moves-or else be inoffensive
to Germany.
The German pressure, through diplo-
matte and propaganda channels, OBJ
viously designed to frighten as many
Of the Latin American nations as pos
sible into weakened attitude at the
meeting here, was generally believed to
have had more Of boomerang effect and
increased determination of the Amer
ican nations to unite in self defense.