Evening star., 1941-01-15
Attack Would Come
In South America,
Conference Is Told
1t. Col. Ridsewoy Soys
U. S. Alone Can Help
In Hemisphere Defense


In Hemisphere Defense
South America was described last
night by 1t. Col Matthew B. Ridge
way of the general staff, United
States Army, as the logical first
approach" to the Western Hemi-
sphere and the vital area to be de-
Tended in the present emergency.
Speaking at the closing session
of the 4th annual Pan-American
Conference as the representative Of
Gen. George G. Marshall, Army chief
of staff, who could not attend, Col.
Ridgeway warned that if an attack
were made against the republics Of
South America, there would seem
little probability of their defeating
it without outside assistance"
This assistance can come alone
from the United States, he said, and
added that he could see no i'm
mediate solution to the problem. He
explained that it will require the
continuing confidence of each of the
other 20 American republics that
this country under vigorous leader
ship is doing and will continue to do
its utmost to keep war away from
this hemisphere"
Canal Vital Objective.
Col. Ridgeway pointed to the
Panama Canal as the military OBJ
jective of the first order" to any
aggreSsor seeking to conquer this
hemisphere. He described it as
powerfully protected against land
or sea assaults, but ever in danger
from sabotage or raids.
A small force of heavy bombers,
each capable of carrying a 1000
pound bomb and based within 1000
miles of the Canal, would constitute
a serious menace, he said. These
bases could be on land or they could
be established through catapult
ships, such as the Westfalen that
lay off the coast of Brazil a few
months prior to the outbreak Of the
present war.
This is the defense problem, he
said. OutpoSts in the Atlantic and
Pacific as far as the Caribbean are
strong enough to stave of attack,
but below the Caribbean lies the
bulk of the South American con-
tinent.
Robert Caldwell Speaks.
Speaking on The Significance Of
Pan-Americanism Today" Robert
G. Caldwell, former Minister to
Portugal and Brazil and now chair
man of the cultural relations pro-
gram for the co-ordinator of COM
mercial and cultural relations be-
tween the American republics, Coun-
Gil of National Defense, discussed
"a new pan-Americanism' and
warned that re-establishmen of any
common cultural understanding
after the war may be the most
serious problem.
He reviewed early efforts to
establish friendly relations between |
the American republics and recalled |
that practical results were few and
disappointing. Then came Hitler, |
he cited, and the republics became |
merged in common purpose.
I'm the days in which we live" he |
said, "the older plans for interna-
tional cooperation, the World Court, |
arbitration, the League, have
vanished in the storm Other plans
remain Utopias, awaiting the un-
known event. Only the union of the
pan-American republics has gained
in strength and in prestige" ]
The third speaker was George E.
Quisenberry, vice president Of Busi-
ness Publishers International Corp.
of New York City, who said "the
high purpose of our economic ma
chine and our defense method" is
the Renaissance of liberal world"
Says Steps Long Planned.
Using the topic New Commercial
Geography of Latin America" he
stressed the fact that many of the
measures now in progress between
the United States Government and
those of the South American re-
publics are far from being hasty
emergency steps, that they actually
are the result Of careful, systematic |
and scientific planning over years
preceding the German occupation OF |
Danzig and Poland.
Mr.. Quisenberry declared 1t is
fallacy that North Americans are
not qualified by understanding,
training and experience to realize |
commercial objectives in the South
ern republics field.
Panel discussions following the
talks by the three principal speakers
were led by Howard Sanderson
lie Roy, member of the bar of the
District of Columbia and New York;
Robert Whitney Bolwell, professor
of American literature at George
washington University; Alan
Thomas Deibert, association pro-
fessor of romance languages at
George Washington University, and
Henry Grattan Doyle, dean OF Co.
lumbar College, George Washing
ton University.
The conference was held under the
auspices of the Inter- american
Center Of George Washington Uni
versity.