Tarnished Neighborliness

The Good Neighbor Policy, already shabby, lost more of its shine last week. Over two months ago, the Argentine Government, unrecognized by the U.S., had asked the Pan American Union to call a conference of foreign ministers to judge its compliance with hemisphere and Good Neighbor obligations. Last week Argentina heard her answer. It was "No!"

In a message to its Ambassadors in Latin capitals (but not Buenos Aires), the State Department told them to suggest a "conference of nations" (not foreign ministers) to discuss the postwar problems of the Americas. It would probably be held in Mexico City early in February. Argentina would not be a member, but perhaps a representative of "General Farrell" (Argentine President Edelmiro Farrell) might be "called in" at the tail end of the meeting.

A conference on postwar problems was something Latin Americans had been demanding ever since Dumbarton Oaks, where many thought their interests were not properly safeguarded. The State Department, by offering this substitute in place of Argentina's own demand, was bypassing the Pan American Union completely.

To Latin Americans, one obvious conclusion to be drawn from the State Department's maneuver was that it was a denial of the principle of inter-American consultation. It was agreed at the Lima Conference (1938) that any hemisphere nation could ask that the Pan American Union call a conference of foreign ministers if it felt itself threatened or even seriously aggrieved. The U.S. had benefited by the principle three times, when it asked (and received) hemisphere help against overseas aggression.

Latin nations, too, had liked the consultation plan. They thought it gave the smallest and weakest among them a chance to appeal to hemisphere public opinion--even against the Great Good Neighbor itself. Last week they were not so confident. Argentina, the first hemisphere nation to ask for a conference which the U.S. did not desire, had got the runaround.

This file is automatically generated by a robot program, so reader's discretion is required.