Evening star., 1953-04-14
Example for the World

his Pan-AmerlCan lay emphasizes OIlCe
again the cultural ties and the community OF
interests that bind together the nations of the
Western Hemisphere. The binding is not per-
feet There are stresses and strains and differ
enceS within our new" world-which, of course
is not really "new," but only younger than the
old. Some of our sister republcs-such as au-
thoritarian Argentina and left-wing Guate
mala-have been following what our own and
like-minded countries rightly regard as unwiSe
and disturbing policies. Still, taken all in ALL
the Americas continue to set for Europe, Asia
and Africa fine and unique example of good
neighborliness thriving among diverse peoples
populating vast area of the globe.
President Eisenhower, in his Sunday ad-
dress to the Council of the Organization of
American States, has summed up the virtues
of this hemisphere community in the follow
ing words: "Ours is an historic and meaningful
unity. 1t has been-for our whole continent
an honest and productive unity. 1t can be-
for other areas of the world-a prophetic and
inspiring unity. For it is triumphant testimony,
before all the world, that peace and trust and
fellowship can rule the conduct of all nations,
large and small, who will respect the life and
dignity of each other" Certainly, in that sense,
he has not exaggerated in declaring that the
Enthusiastically alike because they share
the common heritage of Western civilization
"are cuStodians of a way of life that can be
instructive" for peoples and governments
everywhere.
But the President has been frank to ac-
knowledge that there are real imperfections in
our erAmerican system Although that sys-
tenn, as he has said, has forged true commu-
nifty of equal nations" working "co-operatively
together to achieve common purposes, its men,
ber countrieS-"every one of them, the United
States included-have at times been guilty of
selfish and thoughtless actions" The effects of
such actions constitute continuing problems
that require constant attention and persistent
joint effort to arrive at mutually acceptable So
lutionS in an atmosphere of good will. This is
important, in General EiSenhowers words be-
cause it is not possible for the Americas-either
Singly or together-to live in splendid isola-
ton from the rest of the world. 1t is not pos
sible because the Western Hemisphere, together
with the other free areas of the globe, must for
Survival's sake build up its unity and it's politi-
cal, economic and military defenses against the
still-threatening forces of Communist subver-
sion and aggression.
The oceans of course, no longer protect our
hemisphere as they once did, and that is why
the Americas cannot afford to go their separate
ways or be Indifferent either to their own
security or the security of great areas like
Western Europe. Instead, as the President has
warned, they must strive for ever-increaSing
cooperation in all things. To that end, for his
own part, he is sending his brother, Dr. Milton
Eisenhower, on a special mission to our sister
republics in an effort to find additional ways
of strengthening the bonds of friendship be-
tween them and us. Although it is not likely
to accomplish any miracles, it is good and
timely project that can have wholesome effect
on our inter- American system-a system that
still represents despite its flaws, the best ex-
ample of regional comfy to be found anywhere
in this tense and divided world.