Evening star., 1942-01-29
Balance Sheet at Rio

Balance Sheet at Rio
The Pan-American conference of
foreign ministers held at Rio de
Janeiro ends its sessions in an at
mosphere of friendly cordiality and
optimism for the New Worlds future.
Making allowances for diplomatic
saving and traditional Latin
courtesy, there can be no doubt that
the conference was a success and
that it marked a distinct gain in
hemisphere solidarity and Coop
Grafton.
To be sure, the United States did
not attain its maximum goal, which
was a mandatory resolution for all
the tWenty-one republics OF the
Western Hemisphere to break both
diplomatic and economic relations
with the Axis powers - Germany,
Italy and Japan. The anticipated
resistance of Argentina prevented
this and led to a compromise reso-
luton merely recommending such
action.
However, it is we'll not to lay too
much stress On Argentina'S recalci-
trance and its results. For one thing,
the present Argentine Government
is minority regime which came to
power through a political accident
and is faced with a powerful oppoSi-
ton favoring a break with the Axis.
To save its political face at home is
undoubtedly one of the reasons why
the Castillo government maintained
an attitude to which it had definitely
committed itself. OF course, there
are other reasons, but none of these
is strong enough to lead Argentine
diplomacy to set itself against the
general Latin American trend and
face uncomfortable isolation. No
where else in Latin America would
Argentina find support for anything
savoring of pro-Axis policy. Al
though Chile likewise has indicated
it may not Immediately break with
the Axis, this is due chiefly to the
fact that it is in the throes of a presi-
Dental election precipitated by the
recent death of it's former chief
executive. The only other country
to stand out against the trend was
Ecuador and this was due wholly to
its refusal to sign anything until its
boundary dispute with Peru was ad-
justed Happily, diplomatic form
ula was found by the conference
which apparently satisfies both par
ties, so Ecuador presumably will go
along with the great majority.
What, in the long run, will be even
more important than these anti
Axis resolutions is the series of de-
ciSions for Pan-American co-opera-
ton in many fields. These include
the removal of tariff barriers i'm
peding the flow of essential raw ma
terials and manufactured goods dur
ing the present world emergency,
arrangements for the pooling of
shipping, extension of credit facili-
ties, monetary stabilization, and
other kindred matters which, when
put into full effect, will weld the ma
tions of the Americas into some
thing like an economic bloc. While
technically these are designed only
for the current war period, their
integrating effects will be so pro-
found and mutually so beneficial
that it is unthinkable that they will
be Summarily abandoned. This huge
economic omelet simply cannot be
unscrambled.
Another important decision of the
Rio conference was the resolution
providing for speedy meeting of the
military and naval stats of all the
Pan-American nations in order to
coordinate hemisphere defense.
Here again a process of evolution
has been set in motion which will
not lightly be abandoned or reversed,
considering the common interest
which all these nations have in safe
guarding their integrity and security
against actual or potential dangers
which threaten them from without.
Last but not least, the Rio confer
ence has displayed a spirit of mutual
understanding and forbearance in
striking contrast to the brutal op-
pressions and coercions which today
curse both Europe and Asia. 1t is
this spiritual victory of mingled
idealism and common sense which is
the best augury for the future, not
merely of the New World, but of a
regenerated Old World as well.
Wire-Tupping Bill