Evening star., 1962-01-31

For the first time the
paper unanimity to push tt
against the express wishes oi
the leading Latin American
powers.
For the first time the results
of the deliberations were not
certain before the final dra-
matte vote yesterday in the
open midnight session.
For the first time the United
States was forced into an often
bitter give-and-take in behind
the-sceneS negotiations which
showed all too clearly an
emerging spirit of independence
in Latin America.
Just One Problem
Since late last week the as
sembled ministers have dealt
with just one problem: How
and when to ouSt the Castro
government of Cuba from the
organs of the Organization of
American States.
For three straight days this
week Secretary of State Rusk
labored in almost round-the-
clock sessions to remove the
juridical and political objec-
tions to arriving at final de-
cision here. The deadlock was
so pronounced that Cuban
President Dorticos happily de-
clared that all real decisions
were taken in cut throat di-
plomacy behind closed doors
and without Cuban participa-
ton.
In the end all Mr.. Rusk' S
efforts were for nought. When
the votes were register ed in the
small morning hours today the
United States had to settle for
the bare two-thirds majority
necessary for a decision.
No one here has any illu-
sions about effect of this mar
row decision. The United States
has succeeded in legally eX-
cluding the Castro government
from hemisphere bodies but at
a heavy cost to its own pres
tige in Latin America.
Big Three Say No
The big three of Latin Amer
lea - Argentina, Brazil and
Mexico-followed by Chile, Bo-
livia and Ecuador, refused to
go along with the exclusion.
In explaining their abstentions,
these foreign ministers struck
hard at the "illegality" of the
action taken.
They maintained that since
neither nter-American treaties
nor the OAS charter provides
for the exclusion of a signatory
member, the meeting uSurped
power which should be exer-
cised by special meeting called
to revise basic bylaws of the
inter-American system.
Argentine Foreign Minister
Miguel Angel Carcano pointedly
warned that a dangerous prec-
edent has been created which
can be used against any state
meeting the displeasure of a
numerical two-thirds majority.
But the political dangers of
the split decision are probably
more important than the jul
ridical doubts causing it. The
foreign ministers of the alb
staining six nations go home
angry and embittered about
the United States willingness
to force collective decisions
without the support of states
with the greatest area and
population in Latin America.
Rusk in Wise
United States diplomats are
clearly unhappy about this con-
dition. In the end Mr.. Rusk
was caught here in wise which
narrowly limited his field of
maneuver.
On one side was United
States public opinion-or what
the Kennedy administration
conceives to be public opinion.
Sources here say the President
is convinced and congressional
leaders agree that the SO bill
lion appropriation request for
the Alliance for Progress would
have rough sailing if action
had not been taken here.
On the other side we're the
small nations of Central Amer
lea and the northern part OF
South America most threatened
geographically by Cuban sub
version. Throughout the ne
gotiations. whenever the United
States seemed to be moving
toward a soft" compromise
the Central American group
led by blustery Guatemala
threatened to push openly fol
blanket economic and diplo.
matte sanctions which had ne