Pan-Americanism
The inter-American conference .at Mexico City has been debating questions covering a vast range of interests shared by the United States and Latin-American countries concerning their relations with one another and their joint relations with the rest of the world. Ever since the first enunciation of the Monroe Doctrine the Republics of the two Americas have been encouraged to become hemisphere- conscious, and it has often been pointed out that they constituted something like a New-World League of Nations before the League of Geneva was called into being, though they have never attained a unity comparable with that of the British Commonwealth. The principle of the solidarity of interests has been accepted again and again, though the Latin-American nations are sometimes restive under the consciousness of the hegemony of the United States, more especially in the economic sphere. But it is natural and proper that they should seek to draw together in this period of approaching reconstruction. Dumbarton Oaks, as Mr. Stettinius pointed out, recognised the value of regional arrangements for pro- moting peace and security ; and the two Americas may be conceived in this sense as a region just as western Europe and eastern Europe are regions. Just as we want to keep in special touch with France and the Low Countries, so does the United States with Latin-America. In the same way as France may be specially concerned about the possible future behaviour of Germany, so Uruguay is specially con- cerned about the future behaviour of Argentina, and is asking for treaty engagements among the Americans for protktion against aggression. But it will undoubtedly be the aim of the United States to ensure that special regional arrangements fall within the security system of the workl organisation. Among the most fruitful topics of discussion have been those concerned with the "economic charter of the Americas," which has the broad aim of ensuring trade and productivity and a higher s.andard of living. Anything that can be done on these lines in the spirit of Hot Springs and Bretton Woods will be welcomed as of value to the world as well as to the western hemisphere.
