Evening star., 1951-04-08
The Unanimous Americas

The 2l-nation Inter American Conference of
Foreign Mnisters-the fourth of its kind since
1939-haS drawn to close with record of
accomplishment that promises to add materially
to the political, economic and military solidarity
of the Western Hemisphere at a time when such
solidarity is very much needed to cope with the
menace of worldwide Communist aggression.
: Perhaps the most noteworthy feature of the
conference is the fact that all of its "a resolu-
lonesome of them considerably controversial
have been adopted with complete unanimity.
Nothing could better illustrate how the Americas
in spite of many differences among themselves
and in spite of strains like those caused by Cen
eral Peron's dictatorial regime in Argentina
have become habituated to the practice of good
neighborlineSs and developed, with ever-increas-
ing effectiveness from year to year, into great
cooperative community of 800, 100000 people
AS Secretary Acheson has said, this COM
munity-the United States and all our sister
republics to the South-is in fact "a spiritual
confederation" whose common interests, tradi-
tionS and cultural ties operate as a natural and
powerful cementing force, particularly in periods
of crisis like the present That is why the For
egn Ministers, after their fortnight of debate
and deliberation here in Washington, have been
able once again-as in 1899, 1910 and 1942-to
agree on essentials and act in unison to marshal
only of the hemisphere but of the entire free
world as well.
To that end, in the military field, the 81
nations have unanimously resolved that each
one of them-within the limits of its capabilities
and its constitutional requirements ID in
crease and strengthen within its national armed
forces those elements that are best adapted to
continent-wide collective defense, and (2) make
them available, if needed, to preserve hemi-
spheric security or even to support the United
Nations in actions abroad. In addition, the
Americas have resolved to cooperate with each
other, through existing machinery, in mutual
planning and preparedness for joint operations
to combat aggression against any of them
As for the political and economic spheres
the Americas have voiced unanimous agreement
on a long list of measures, including concerted
steps to improve upon existing safeguards
against the internal threat of subversive Com
munist forces and to promote the stability and
further development of the different hemisphere
economies. The latter calls for such things as
increasing the production of essential raw ma
terias, allocating scarce supplies fairly, check
ing inflationary pressures, and doing everything
possible-with special aid from the United States
to promote rising living standards.
All of these resolutions, of course are of
limited significance because they are statements
of principles rather than firm or specific legal
commitments Yet, like similar inter r-American
measures in the past-measures that have since
borne good fruit-they have real moral force and
in time they are bound to yield concrete results
There need be no doubt in the Kremlin or any
where else on that score. The Foreign Ministers
have reason to be proud of their work.