Evening star., 1940-11-08
Pon-Americun Defense


A vital link in the chain which our
diplomacy has been busily forging to
insure Western Hemisphere defense
is now assured. According to infor-
nation released here, general under
standings have been arrived at with
practically all the Latin American
republics, whereby our. forces would
be allowed to use air and naval bases
in those countries, should such action
be deemed necessary for the safe
guarding of the New World against
aggression.
This indispensable basis having
been laid down, current defense con-
situations now in progress with our
Latin American neighbors are con-
cerned chiefly with technical details,
such as the selection of bases and
the working out of suitable methods
for their speedy construction and
operation.
The chief difference between these
arrangements and that negotiated
with the British government under
the destroyer deal is that we do not
acquire formal leases of the proposed
Latin American bases. Instead, they
will be prepared and stated by the
nations in which they are located.
Our share in the work will be to
roroyido faoIyoico1 - 51yienrc o,o5 eI>iIIoJ
personnel wherever these may be
desired or needed, together with fur
nishing defensive equipment such as
anti-aircraft guns to the extent that
armament production in this coun-
try makes it increasingly possible.
There is also the likelihood that base
construction in Latin America will
be largely financed by further loans.
Our State Department is to be
heartily congratulated for the far
sighted patience which it has dis
played in these negotiations. Con-
siderable criticism was voiced when
offers of base leases made to our
Government by Costa Rica and some
other Latin American republics were
politely refused. Our diplomats
realized that such leases, involving
the question of territorial SOW
ereignty, would have alarmed certain
Latin American countries and might
have rendered a general base system
unattainable. So they preferred to
wait, even at the sacrifice of precious
time, and their patience has now
been justified.
One important step toward the
present happy outcome was taken
at the time of the deal with Britain,
when our Government announced
that the naval and air forces of Latin
American states would be free to
use the bases leased from Great
Britain. This puts the whole busi-
ness on a friendly reciprocal basis,
which should allay the most touchy
Latin American sensibilitieS.
1t is understood that the projected
string of bases will extend right
down the Atlantic Coast OF South
America, and that bases will be
established on the Pacific Coast as
well. That will insure defense
against possible attacks from both
Europe and Asia. A key base will
certainly be established at Natal,
Brazil, where the so-called hump"
of South America bulges eastward
toward the continent of Africa, so
that the distance between Natal and
the French West African base of
Dakar is only about 1000 miles.
With construction already begun
on the bases leased from Britain and
Latin American bases agreed upon
in principle, we may look forward to
a day not far distant when a string
of air and naval bases stretching
from the Arctic to the Antarctic will
present formidable bulWark against
aggression from dictator ridden
lands in the Old War and in the Far
East.