Evening star., 1947-12-09
To Make Il Effective

The Senate'S overwhelming ratification
OF the inter- American defense pact consti-
tutes long and historic step forward In
the evolution of the good-neighbor policy.
The pact ITSELF drawn up as a regional
arrangement within the overall frame
work of the United Nations, is an un-
precedented international instrument. In
terms of its potentials, Chairman Vanden-
berg OF the Foreign Relations Committee
has not exaggerated in suggesting that
there has never been "a more important
document in the life of the New World"
This may surely be said of it,. That If
1t is properly implemented it will be
tremendous bulWark to the peace and
security not merely of this hemisphere,
but OF mankind as whole.
AS agreed to at Rio de Janeiro last
summer, the pact solemnly commits the
Americas to take joint positive action to
deal with any armed aggression against
one or another of them, whether the
aggression comes from within or outside
the hemisphere. 1t commits them, more
over, to take such action on the basis of
two-thirds vote, the only exception being
that each may reserve the right to decide
whether or not to participate In direct
military operations. In other words, no
unanimity rule, no veto right, can be
invoked to paralyze the mutual defense
The signatory nations have deliberately
ruled out the kind Of obstruction that has
begged down the United Nations Security
Council; no one of them will have the
power to block and frustrate the decisions
of the great majority.
This is unique and far-reaching devel-
opment in the history of international
cooperative undertakings to achieve
collective security. Although limited to
the Western Hemisphere, it lights the way
for the entire world. If it could be put
into effect on global scale, it would be
of incalculable service in promoting a
genuinely enduring peace. Yet, even as
far as the Americas are concerned, 1t is
not enough in itself. In addition to the
faithful adherence of all the contracting
parties it needs the teeth of concrete mill
tary collaboration Without that, 1t can
not be truly effective; it can be little more
than paper pledge-a mere statement OF
high and pious intent, with nothing really
substantial to back it up.
AS the architects of this pact, however,
the United States and the other Americas
have made clear that they do not propose
to let it become only collection of words.
In keeping with the recommendations OF
the Inter-American Defense Board. they
are ready to implement it by working
together to standardize their military or
ganizations, training methods, arms and
other equipment. All that is needed to
get the program started is congressional
approval of bill that our House Foreign
Affairs Committee has .already reported
on two different occasions-a bill that
would enable our country to bring about
the standardization at yearly cost of not
much more than $10.0O0000 and under
conditions guarding against possible
abuses.
The bill in question-known as the Inter-
American Military Cooperation Acts a
logical and necessary corollary to the Rio
treaty Now that the latter has been
ratified, Congress ought to adopt the
Standardization legislation at the earliest
possible moment. Common sense and the
realities of the world situation argue elo-
quently for such action. Hemisphere good
neighborliness, given the teeth it needs,
| can be a powerful force for peace every
where. There should be no delay in
putting it to work.