Evening star., 1941-01-14
japanese Trade
Threat in Latin
Nations Doubted
Axis Pact Gives
Nuzis Free Hand,
Conference Told

William Crane Johnstone, jr., dean
of the Junior College of the George
Washington University, last night
told a distinguished gathering at
the Fourth Annual Pan American
Conference that Japan constituted
no menace to the United States IN
Latin America.
Speaking at the session in the
United States Chamber of Com
merce on Latin America and
New Order" Prof. Johnstone
declared that perhaps the most
cooperation offered to
the axis by Japan was to provide
Germany with q "free and un-
checked means of entry into Latin
through Russia and Japan.
German goods and German agents,
he declared, move through Russia
over the Trans-Siberian Railroad to
Japan and thence to Latin America
in Japanese ships. Latin American
products, he said, move to Germany
in the reverse direction.
But, the speaker concluded, after
reviewing of trade between Japan
and the Latin American countries,
There is no real economic penetra-
ton of Japan in Latin America"
Political Link Bears Watching.
I'VE need have no worry about
Japanese trade competition, he
said, but we must not forget that
Japanese and German policies are,
for the present, closely bound up to-
gether. The success of Japan's new
order in Asia is largely dependent
now on the success of Germany's
new order in Europe. 1t is this
political connection of Germany and
Japan that needs watching. it is this
connection which is of most signifi-
canse in Latin America and of ut
most Importance to the United
States"
John I. B. McCulloch, associate
in Latin American affairs of the
Foreign Policy Association, discussed
New Trends on the American
Front" paying tribute to the Havana
Convention among the American re-
publics as a distinct success" The
mere fact of its existence. he said.
may have acted as a deterrent" to
the axis powers, particularly in re-
gard to Martinique.
He called particular attention to
the gradual elimination of Euro
pean military missions in South
America and their replacement by
North American missions. On the
economic front, the speaker declared,
special interest attaches to the activ-
tiles of the Inter-American Develop
ment Commission, which is organiz-
ing local groups throughout Latin
America to cooperate in its pro-
gram, and to the attempts being
made here In Washington by the
Inter- American Financial and Eco
nomic Committee to deal with the
marketing of specific commodities
The recently concluded coffee agree
ment constitutes an experiment
which, he declared, would be well
WOTln Watcnlng.
Framework for New Structure.
"On the political 'front.'" he said.
no effort has been made-and
wisely SOTO altar fundamentally
the political relationship of our 81
countries. Yet the rapid growth
OF new inter-American bodies con-
stitutes In itself a framework on
whlch-at some future date-a new
political structure in this hemi-
sphere conceivably could be reared.
Meanwhile, the success of such
gatherings as last summers Ha-
vana Conference proves that the
American republics can, under the
stress of emergency, cooperate eff
fectively in working out. measures
OF a political character"
Harry w. Frantz of the United
Press. discussing Canada and the
Pan-American Movement" ex-
pressed the hope that some dav
Canada may join that movement
more completely. Already there
were practical relations of trade and
friendship between the Canadian
and Latin American countries, he
said.
canadian ties with the Latin
American republics are expected to
strengthen morally and materially
in 194l and thereafter, with the
prospect that the Dominion will be
widely regarded as one of the good
neighbor' group. although not an
actual member of the Pan-American
Union"
Cites Objections to Membership.
He traced many possible objections
to Canada belonging to the PAN
American Union, principal among
which were its political ties with the
British Empire. Some diplomats
think, he said, that in the meantime
1t would be useful to all American
republics if Canada should partici-
pate in conferences pertaining to
travel promotion. highways, intel
lectual cooperation and social well
fare.
Members OF the panel, which
elected further discussion of their
subjects from the three speakers of
the evening were Kendric Nicholas
Marshall. president of Chevy Chase
Junior College; William Cabell Van
Week, dean Of the law school of
George Washington University, and
Frederick Morris Feiker, dean of the
school of engineering of the uni
versity
Presiding was Henry Grattan
Doyle, dean of Columbian College of
G. w. U.
George Howland Cox, director of
the Inter American Center of the
university, under whose auspices the
conference is being held, explained
Its scope and purpose.
Gen. Marshall on Program.
Gen. George c. Marshall, Chief of
Staff OF the United States Army, who