Evening star., 1941-03-05
BY GARNETT ID. HORNER.

Formal negotiations were under
way today between the United States
and Mexico to develop co-ordinated
program for common defense"
against any attack on either country.
Sech practical cooperation as de-
velopment of naval and air bases in
Mexico for mutual use and increased
United States assistance in equip
ping and training Mexican armed
forces is generally expected to re-
suit from the talks in progress here.
The detailed plans for carrying
out pledges of mutual assistance
against aggression are being dis
cussed by military, naval and air
attaches of the Mexican Embassy
in Washington with experts desig-
mated by this Government, the State
Department announced last night.
Although informal defense con-
sultations with various Latin Amer
ican nations have been carried on
since last summer, those with
Mexico are the first to have
progressed to the point of formal
announcement of an agreement to
work out definite plans for joint
action.
Joint Defense Board Seen.
The present discussions were ex-
pected in some quarters to be fol-
lowed by creation of a permanent
Joint defense board, somewhat SIM
liar to that set up by the United
States and Canada several months
ago.
The negotiations with Mexico, the
State Department pointed out, have
been undertaken to implement
pledges of cooperation for defense
adopted at a conference of foreign
ministers of the American repub-
lies in Havana last July.
The announcement emphasized
that methods for carrying out mill
tary, naval and air cooperation
would observe 1.-The greatest regard
for the principle of the national
sovereignty of the two states"
Under this principle, the United
States would make no effort to lease
or otherwise acquire control of any
bases in Mexico. but might lend
financial and technical assistance in
DEVELOPMENT of bases there which
would be available for cooperative
use in an emergency.
Bases May Be Developed.
Speculation on the nature OF de-
tailed cooperation envisaged by the
current military talks also has in
cluded reports that Mexican Army
and air officers would receive inten-
sified training in this country and
that the United States would lend
Mexico funds for buying weapons
and expanding her defense facili-
ties generally.
Points which have been mem
toned as possible sites for naval and
air bases include the Bay of Mag
dalena on the Pacific Coast Of Low
er California, and Acapulco, on the
west coast of Southern Mexico. De-
fense of the Panama Canal from the
Pacific side would be greatly
strengthened by naval and air pa
troll operations from such bases.
Other reported subjects of discus
sion were:
Extension and improvement of
Mexican airfelds so they might be
utilized by American planes.
Completion of the Mexican Sec
ton of the Pan American highway
to provide better and faster trans
portation, especially for overland
troops and supply movements toward
the Canal.
Lease of the railway across the
Tehauntepec Isthmus as a parallel
overland route to the Canal.
Way Paved for Reciprocity.
There have been reports that this
Government would cooperate with
other Latin American nations, par
ticularly Uruguay, Brazil and Ecua-
dor, to perfect ring of such bases
for hemisphere defense. Ecuador
controls the Galapagos Islands.
potential defense outpost in the Pa
CHIC. EuCleIlI DdScS LII DI dHAl oAA0
Uruguay would be invaluable for
defense against any invading forces
moving across the South Atlantic.
The United States has paved the
way for reciprocal assistance in the
matter of bases for joint use in
common defense by making the
eight bases leased from Great
Britain in the Atlantic and Carib-
bean available for such use by the
other American republics.
Secretary of State Hull an
nounced last October that I'VE are
engaged in defense consultations
with our neighbo:s to the south"
and that vigorous effort" would be
continued in this field. He had re-
Trained from disclosing any specific
negotiations, however, until the an
nouncement last night.
The agreement with Mexico was
regarded as the possible forerunner
of d series of individual pacts con-
cerning details to link all the
Americas in a far-reaching program
for air tight" hemisphere defense.