Evening star., 1942-01-14
Good Neighbor Policy
A||ayed Fears, Says
Mexico's Ambassador
Pun-Americun Session
At 6. W. U. Closes With
Three Addresses


At 6. W. U. Closes With
Three Addresses
Mexico and the United States
share common ideals and interests
'for the first time in history" and
those superior ideals ultimately will
triumph over the unexpected and
felonious aggression" OF the Axis
: powers, the Mexican Ambassador,
DR.. Don Francisco Castillo Najera,
declared last night as the fifth an
nual Pan-American Conference
under the auspices Of the Inter-
American Center Of George Wash
ington University closed.
I'VE are threatened by the same
dangers" he said, but the same
glorious destiny smiles at U.s."
Reviewing the history of United
States-Mexican relations, hampered
from the beginning by the divergent
political, cultural and economic
backgrounds of the two nations and
by the ineptness Of their early diplo-
matte representatives, the Ambassa-
dor asserted, 1T Is surprising that
the continuous causes Of irritation
did not result in disastrous and
numberless armed conflicts"
Cites alternating Policy.
The manifest destiny" theory OF
early American imperiaists was
regarded by Mexico, he said, as
directed against Latin America, and
the fact that United States eco
nomic penetration was encouraged
by the corrupt Diaz dictatorship In
return for political support made
America the accomplice Of that op-
pressive regime in the eyes OF Its
Mexican opponents.
Not until the establishment OF
the good neighbor policy under the
Roosevelt administration, DR.. Cas-
tillo Najera related, were Mexicos
suspicious fully allayed. He said
the new definition of "neighbor"
had been broadened to include not
only nations brought together by
the accident of geographical con-
tiguity, but a communion of fellow
ship among all the nations of the
world.
The Mexican Ambassador was
preceded by James S. Carson. vice
president of the American and For
eign Power Co.. Inc, who told the
audience Of $50 gathered in the
auditorium of the United States
Chamber of Commerce Building
that with Europe and North America
engaged in a destructive war, the
century ahead may belong to Latin
America"
THE countries of Latin America"
he explained, may be the only ma
tions emerging from the war debt
free and advanced economically,
morally and sociologically."
Sees Imitation Threat.
He predicted that the countries OF
South America, cut of from Euro
pean markets by the blockade since
the outbreak of war, would be COM
PEELED to become increasingly SELF
SUFFICIENT. The danger Of imitation,
he warned, was inherent in the
combination of increased purchasing
power as a result of rising exports
to the United States and decreased
consumer goods due to the decline
of imports from Europe, but he ex-
pressed the hope imitation might be
averted through rapid South Ameri-
can induStrialization.
Il believe we should aid in every
way" Mr. Carson declared. in this
process of industrialization." He
said the attempt to satisfy expand
ing markets in the relatively unde-
veloped areas of the world, particu-
larly South America. would occupy
all the newly-created American in
dustrial facilities at the conclusion
Of the present war.
DR.. Henry Grattan Doyle. dean
of Columbian College at George
Washington University, asserted
the removal Of linguistic handicaps
must precede the establishment Of
better relations between North and
South America, and added, Good
neighborliness on a stgn-language
basis simply will not work."
Hits At Experts"
Too many experts" on South
America, he charged, have only
superficial knowledge Of their sub
tect because they cannot even speak
Spanish and have not spent enough
time in South America. They belong,
he commented, to the Take look
write a book" school Of sociolc .ical
analysis.
Closer relations with South Amer
lca, he contended, were opposed by
racial bigots who oppose any
strengthening of ties with foreign
ers" by bitter Roosevelt haters"
who condemn the Good Neighbor
policy simply because it is advocated
by the administration, and by out
right Axis sympathizers. But the
main problem is apathy among the
general public due to ignorance, he
insisted. This, he said, must be
swiftly overcome in the interests Of
hemisphere defense.
The Pan-American Conference
was brought to a conclusion with the
questioning Of each speaker by a
panel consisting Of Howard Sander
son lie Roy, a Washington and New
York attorney: Frederick Morris
Feiker, dean of the George Wash
tngton School Of Engineering. and
William Cabell Van Week, dean of
the George Washington Law School.
The chairman for the final session
was Robert Whitney Bolwell, pro-
fessor Of American Literature at G.
w. U.