Evening star., 1942-02-01

After two full weeks OF Ardu0uS ana
sometimes stormy sessions, the third
formal conference Of foreign ministers
Of the American republics has now COM
pleted its labors. The net result Of the
greatest progress In the development Of
hter-American solidarity yet achieved.
From the immediate viewpoint, the
outstanding event Of the conference was
the unanimous recommendation that all
the American governments, in ac-
cordance with the procedure established
by their own laws and within the posi-
ton and circumstances Of each country"
should break OF diplomatic relations with
the Axis powers. Already most Of the
South American nations, led by Peru.
Uruguay, Bolivia, Paraguay and Brazil,
are putting this strong recommendation
into effect.
The underlying reason for this action
Is perhaps more significant than the
step itself. The severance OF diplomatic
relations with the dominant Axis powers
was advised because of the aggression
committed by member of the Tripartite
Pact against one of the American family
Of nations-namely, the United States"
Voluntary Action by All.
Thus the step taken by the 20 Ameri-
can republics other than the United
States, whether or not actively followed
up by all Of them. Is both formal defini-
ton Of the assault on Pearl Harbor as
an act Of aggression, and formal con-
demnation Of it by every Latin American
nation.
1t may be predicted that this declara-
ton of New World solidarity in the face
Of aggression will come to rank side by
side with the Monroe Doctrine in his
torical Importance. Indeed it is in one
respect clearly more important than that
famous document. The Monroe Doctrine
was a unilateral assertion Of policy by
the United States, whereas the present
Declaration of Rio de Janeiro was made
possible only by the voluntary and CO.
operative action Of every American re-
public.
As Sumner Welles, who headed the
United States delegation in his capacity
Of Undersecretary Of State, describes this
recommendation: For the first time in
the history Of our hemisphere joint action
Of the highest political character has
been taken by all the American nations,
acting together without dissent and
without reservation"
Three factors, between the Importance
Of which 1t Is impossible to discriminate.
underlie the achievement at Rio de
Janeiro
One Of these Is the great diplomatic
skill, the admirable combination of expert
knowledge with both flrmness and flexi-
bility in negotiation, possessed by Mr..
Welles himself. Indistinguishable from
his personal abilities Is the very high
degree of efficiency to which the entire
Latin American division of the Depart
ment of State has been brought in recent
years.
Good Neighbor Policy Aids.
A second, though not a secondary, fac
tor is the Good -Neighbor" policy which
has been continuously and consistently
emphasized toward Latin America
throughout the, entire period Of Mr..
Roosevelt's tenure Of the Presidency.
This policy has not been in operation
long enough to eliminate all difficulties,
such as the justified resentment which
still shoulders in Buenos Aires over the
virtual embargo long applied by the
United States to imports of Argentine
beef. But the attested sincerity of the
administration in its handling of Latin
American relations undoubtedly facili-
tated the task Of our delegation at Rio.
A third factor assisting the achieve
ment now registered is the tremendous
effort and financial outlay which has
recently gone into eounter-propaganda
against the Axis influence in many Soc
lions Of Latin America. The purchase
Of goodwill, for 1t Is frankly that. extends
from virtual gift Of military and naval
supplies under the Lease.Lend Act TO
such proposals ~ that now pending for
the provision at cost Of 750, 1000 radio sets
for South Americans willing to tune In on
programs from this country.
Neither money, nor energy, nor brains
have been spared In Washington on the
whole well-planned campaign to establish
New World solidarity in place Of the
mingled fear, suspicion and hostility with
which much Of Latin America . genera
ton ago regarded the United States.