Evening star., 1942-01-14
Delegations al Rio
Strike 7 Obstacles
Before Farley Opens
Argentina and Ecuador
Roise Difficulties
For Anti-Axis Front
BY the Associated Press.

By the Associated Press.
RIO DE JANEIRO, Jan. a.
Twenty -four hours before its first
Official session, the Pan-American
conference of foreign ministers apr
peared to have struck two obstacles
today-Argentina's reluctance to
commit herself to any military al
liances or "acts of prebelligerency,
and Ecuador's determination to set
tie her 100-year- boundary dis
pute with Peru before entering into
any general discussions.
In the behind-th diplomacy
aimed at creating a United Western
hemisphere front against the Axis,
Argentina was considered the chief
obstacle Its policy was reaffirmed at
Buenos Aires last night by President
Ramon S. Castillo, who said his gov
ernment could not assent to any
measures of belligerency" which
might come before the conference,
and earlier had been laid down along
the same lines by Foreign Minister
Enrique Ruiz Guinazu.
Ruiz Guinazu arrived here this
morning. The foreign ministers of
Chile and Uruguay were the only
representatives still missing.
Third Problem Created.
From a most authoritative source
1t was learned that Tobar Donoso,
Foreign Minister of Ecuador, had
declared he would not take part in
the conference sessions unless a
basis of settlement was reached in
the boundary dispute with Peru un-
der which his country would be as
sured no further aggression, and
which would outline a final agree
ment.
The same source said a third
problem had been created by the
apparently answering determina-
ton of the Central American and
Caribbean nations to force the con-
ference to act on a proposal calling
for all the American nations to join
In the war against the Axis.
Arturo Despradel, Foreign Min
ister of the Dominican Republic, was
said to be slated to introduce such
q resolution, with the support of
the nine countries which have de-
clared war and possibly Of still
others.
Refuses to Call Congress.
President Castillo's statement last
night was made in turning down a
request by opposition leaders for
q special session of Congress, which
they asked because Ruiz Guinazu
had said he could make no COM
mitments without congressional ap-
proval.
The Argentine attitude was the
subject of numerous conferences re-
volving around Sumner Welles,
United States Undersecretary Of
State and head Of the Washington
delegation. :.
At the same time the various
national representatives took the
opportunity to push their own pet
projects which will be introduced
before nightfall Saturday and to
seek agreement on the chairmen OF
the two major conference commit
tees.
It was learned that Panama
planned to present proposal which
would make effective article IS of
the Havana conference embracing a
program for mutual assistance
against aggression, but the extent
Of the proposal was not disclosed.
The Panama delegation also was
expected to recommend certain eco
nomic measures to be taken both
during and after the war.
Bloc Seeks to Cut Relations.
Mexico's Foreign Minister, Ezequiel
Padilla, disclosed that his nation,
Colombia and Venezuela had formed
a bloc which would seek united
American severance of rela-
tions with nations at war with
the United States"
There are three groups in the
conference" he said, those Central
American and Caribbean nations
wishing an outright declaration of
war. an opposite group desiring a
declaration of a state of non-bel-
Igerency and the group including
Mexico which will support break
In relationship step which we be-
lieve is favored by the United
States
Nations in the Mexican bloc have
already severed relations with the
Axis powers, while the Central
American and Caribbean countries
have declared war.
Foreign Minister Oswald Aranha
of Brazil declared meanwhile that
complete solidarity was essential to
success of the conference.
"A rupture in harmony would
mean that pan-Americanism has