Evening star., 1948-03-07
'Bogota Goal
IsHarn1Ony
American Republics
Seek Economic
Cooperation
By Leslie HiqhIey

f1rSt II the western Hemisphere II
to be a vital factor in preserving
world peace.
To achieve this end q conference
has been called at Bogota. Colon.
bia, for March 80. Briefly, it Is ex.
pected to:
/. Boost economic cooperation
among the 81 nations. Latin Amer.
ican countries want to improve the
living conditions Of their peoples
develop new industries and make
the best use of their natural re-
sources with United States help. In
the opinion Of some economic ex-
perts, Bogota may lead to the real
economic discovery" Of Latin
America.
2. Reorganize the 58-year-old
"Union OF the American Republics
as a regional branch of the United
Nations.
8. Set up machinery for peacefully
settling disputes among American
nations.
An Important Session
The Bogota conference will be the
ninth inter American meeting. The
last one was held in Lima, Peru, in
1898, the first in Washington in 1890,
when the Pan American Union was
organized.
This meeting probably is the most
important Of all. Diplomats here
and In other American capitals
believe it will prove whether the
American nations can help each
other in harmony.
One diplomat explained the meet
ing's importance this way:
I'VE have to make the inter-
American system the strongest as
ISOLATION of peace-loying nations,
working in a practical way toward
lasting peace.
4Ilc ILIlCi -hAllCl lSdiA oyoVSAA SoAA
not afford to be the sewing circle
of the American nations"
OF the three main subjects to be
taken up by the conference, the first
economic co-operation-is the most
important and controversial.
1t Is most important because
whatever action is taken to promote
economic cooperation will deter
mine to what extent the Latin
American nations can build up their
economies.
It is most controversial because
the United Statesman factor in
this co-operation-and several Latin
American nations hold different
views on how it should be carried
out.
Under the program to be presented
at Bogota, the inter-American sys-
tenn would become the Little United
Nations" of the Western Hemisphere.
All its activities. including defense
of the hemisphere, would be CEN
tered on the Pan American Union
and its Governing Board.
These activities would be carried
out by a permanent defense council,
an economic and social council, a
juridical council and q cultural
council.
Bars to Enterprise
Latin American nations have been
setting up new industries since the
beginning of the last war. They
want to continue this industrial
development.
But to do so they need United
States help. Capital and technical
know-how is lacking in many Of the
Latin American countries. The
United States is the only country In
position to furnish them.
The Latins believe it is high time
for them to stop being the "'econom-
ic colonies" of this part of the world.
This desire meets with general ap-
proval from the washington admin
istration and private capital in the
United States. Certain conditions,
| however, are asked from the Latins.
One of these-probably the most
important-is that restrictions on
freedom of action by foreign enter
prises be eliminated.
Two examples of these restrictions
are:
/. Many countries require that
foreign enterprises hire a certain
number of local employees. For in
stance, Cuba has law that requires
foreign firm to give so per cent Of
its jobs to Cubans.
2. In others there is a trend to
nationalize industries by simply
taking them over. Sometimes this
process is carried out without due
compensation to owners.
The Latins want to retain their
power to restrict the freedom of
foreign capital. They contend this
is a way to check any improper"
political influence in the internal
affairs.
What most Latin American coun-
tries want is to produce raw mate
rials for their own industries and
sell their manufactured goods to
the world.
This, they believe, would help
them improve living standards.
But Latin American economic ex-
perts believe this industrial devel-
opment may be hampered II the
United States fails to supply capital,
machinery and industrial knowledge.
The economic plan to be presented
to the conference was prepared by
the ter-American Economic and
Social Council here. This plan is
expected to be written into q treaty
TO be signed by the American re-
publics.
Objections on Record