Evening star., 1942-01-24
Compromise at Rio

The hectic diplomatic struggle
waged for week within the COM
mittee rooms Of the Pan-American
Conference at Rio de Janeiro has
ended in a compromise. Argentina
has receded from her uncompromis-
ing position which twice threatened
to shatter the united front so
ardently desired not only by the
United States but by the great ma
jority of the Latin American repub-
lies as well. The principle of Pan
American solidarity against external
aggression, laid down year and
half ago at the previous conference
in Havana has been reafflrmed and
somewhat amplifled. But the man
datory resolution breaking relations
with the Axis powers, originally
introduced by Colombia, has not been
adopted. Instead, less fortnight
declaration has been accepted which.
while unitary in form, permits of
divergent Interpretation and action.
It should be recognized, however,
that the accomplishment at Rio is
a very substantial one. If it falls
short of perfection, it nevertheless
provides a foundation for hemi-
spheric solidarity which is by no
means Insignificant and which is far
more substantial than would have
been believed possible only a few
months ago.
The compromise note is struck in
Article 3, which reads that the sigma
tories, following the procedure es-
tablished by their own laws and
within the position and circum-
stances of each country in the actual
international conflict, recommend
rupture of their diplomatic relations
with Japan, Germany and Italy"
Obviously, this Recommendation"
would permit reluctant government
like that of Argentina to take ad-
vantage of legal technicalities and
constitutional provisions, to say
nothing of alleging its special 'posi-
ton and circumstances" in the "ac-
tual international conflict" to delay
or possibly to dodge the complete
breach with the Axis which United
States diplomacy has had in mind.
In short, Article 3 could serve as
what is known as an escape clause"
However, it is far from certain that
the Argentine government actually
will do this. Such action would
affront the prevailing sentiment in
Latin. America and would tend to
isolate it both automatically and
morally. This, in turn, would in
crease the already high degree Of
political tension within Argentina
itself. The present regime in Argen-
tina is distinctly minority govern
ment which came to power through a
political accident. The opposition
party, which controls the Argentine
Congress, favors Pan-American soli-
darity against the Axis, and in this
stand it seems to have the backing
of majority of the Argentine peo-
pie. Acting President Ramon Cas-
tillo has overridden this opposition
to his "isolationist" foreign policy
by almost dictatorial methods, but
there is good reason to hope that the
tide in Argentina may be turning.
In all this, the compelling force of
economic realities should not be
forgotten. 1t is generally agreed that
a large degree of cooperation is
necessary If the nations of the New
World are to escape grave economic
difficulties and dangers, and the
United States has offered a broad
gauge program along these lines.
1t is not likely that Argentina will
fail to realize that economics and
politics are inseparable parts of
hemisphere solidarity.