Evening star., 1942-01-11
PROSPECTS, at Rio

ItVSkCSAS " NV
The departure Of the United States
delegation, headed by Undersecre-
tary Of State Sumner Welles, for the
Pan-American Conference scheduled
to convene In Rio de Janefro this
week brings to the fore Latin Amer
ica's relation to the world conflict.
Fortunately, the conference will
meet in an atmosphere of basic
good will and mutual understanding.
The fundamental principle of West
ern Hemisphere solidarity and de-
fense against foreign aggression was
clearly laid down at the previous
conference held at Havana, Cuba, in
the summer of 1910. Although at
that time the United States, like its
Latin American neighbors, was neu-
tral and desirous of remaining 50 II
possible, the Havana Conference met
in the shadow of sweeping Axis vic
tories in Europe. eliminating with the
fall OF France, and the potential
threat Of Axis aggression In the New
World had become obvious.
One of the more important results
of the hemisphere defense policy laid
down at Havana was the grant
ing of a mon -belligerent" status to
the United States by all the Latin
American nations This enabled our
ships and planes to use Latin Amer
lean harbors and air bases without
the restrictions and limitations
which would be imposed by the rules
of neutrality in the traditional sense.
1t must be remembered that. as yet,
no South American country has de-
clared war on the Axis powers, al
though Venezuela and Colombia have
broken of diplomatic relations and
Brazil has emphatically declared its
solidarity with the United States.
On the contrary, all the republics
of Central America and the Carib-
bean. including Panama. have de-
clared war on the Axis, while Mexico
has broken diplomatic relations and
is cooperating with US In every
respect. There can be no doubt that
Japans wanton attack on US has
strongly reinforced the trend toward
Pan-American solidarity throughout
Latin America. Nowhere in those
countries is there any pro-Japanese
sentiment. Everywhere the men OF
Nippon are disliked and their gov
ernment is feared There are nearly
100000 Japanese in Latin America,
one-half of these in Brazil, with
strong colonies In Peru and Bolivia.
But in all cases the clannishness,
aggressiveness, and unscrupulous
methods OF the Japanese immigrants
have made them suspect. This is
very different from the status Of the
Italian and German elements, who
have entered into the national lives
of Latin American nations and made
an influential place for themselves.
The outstanding issues on the
agenda at Rio will center around
such matters as the curbing of Axis
activities, further solidarity with the
United States against the Axis, and
relations of Latin American coun-
tries with extra continental allies of
the United States, especially Great
Britain.
On the first Of these issues there
presumably will be little dispute.
Even Argentina, which is NEST in
clined to take a negatively inde-
pendent attitude, has had painful
experience with German and Italian
propaganda, and has taken effective
measures to control it. Whether a
solid Latin American front can be
established to the extent Of breaking
diplomatic relations with the Axis
is questionable, in view of the strong
dissent voiced by the Argentine gov
ernment. Still less likely is a general
declaration of war against the Axis.
The question OF extending mon
belligerent" status to Britain similar
to that already accorded the United
States has been proposed by Uruguay
and will be raised by its delegates at
the conference, but Argentina al
ready has voiced dissent, and like
wise has criticized the war declara-
tions of the Central American and
Caribbean republics as unilateral
action not in keeping with the idea
of Latin American coordination in
foreign policy. The Rio Conference
thus has important business and real
problems ahead of it.
Efficiency Ratings
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