FUTURE OF THE AMERICAS

Press, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23080, 24 July 1940, Page 9

FUTURE OF THE AMERICAS

Problems Created By the War

MR HULL’S SPEECH

TO CONFERENCE

(UNITED PRESS ASSOCIATION —COPTEIGHT.)

(Received July 23, 11.45 a.m.)

HAVANA, July 22.

The United States Secretary of State (Mr Cordell Hull) in a speech at the Pan-American Conference said: “We meet when world conditions are graver than ever before. For nearly a year a new major war has raged increasingly and furiously over important areas of the earth. It came as the culmination of the process of deterioration in international conduct and morality, extending over a period of years, during which the forces of ruthless conquest gathered strength.

“These forces shrink from no means of attaining their ends. In their contempt for all moral and ethical values they have bent to rooting up the very foundations of orderly relations between nations, subverting political institutions within the nations they have already left in their wake, formerly sovereign nations with independence, and trampled them in the dust. Millions of proud men’s and women’s liberties have been destroyed. “Our American republics had no part in kindling the tragic conflagration, but on the contrary, severally and jointly, they did everything to stay the outburst. But it has become increasingly clear that the vast tragedy which had befallen large proportions of the earth carried dangers for the American nations which it was suicidal not to recognise and not to prepare to meet fully and decisively. “Our nations must not blind tnemselves into fatal complacency—as so many others have done, to their mortal sorrow—for the possibility of attack from without or externally directed attempts from within to undermine the national strength and subvert cherished social and political institutions is looming ominously on our horizon, said Mr H “There is a danger that attempts may be made to employ against us the same means of subordinating our destinies for control and dictation from abroad as have already been notoriously employed elsewhere. We must recognise the serious possibility that no effort may be spared to achieve economic domination, political penetration, and sow seeds of suspicion and dissension and discord—the frequent prelude for more menacing action.

Economic Results of War

“The war has disrupted international commerce and curtailed foreign markets, bringing to our many American nations a diminution in foreign exchange resources. The loss is sufficiently serious to severely strain national economies in some instances. The stagnant commodity surpluses, the exportation of which is essential for economic life, have accumulated, and will continue to accumulate. “We must contemplate the wars eventual end, when perhaps 80,000,000 Europeans and many millions elsewhere now entirely engaged in war work must find new places, in the economics of peace. “Simultaneously it must be assumed that there will be a general demand for the restoration of reasonable living conditions. This transition will necessitate a great increase in production and the distribution and exchange of goods. Failure will only mean that the -war’s tragedy will be followed, by the greater horror of disintegration in great areas. , J “We are confronted with two opposite trading methods. Open trade, freed as rapidly as is practicable from regimentation and obstruction, can accomplish the necessary task of prosperity for the Americas or any part of the world. Even the necessities of the war-torn areas cannot be met by the regimented restriction of trade. The Americas should be prepared to resume trade with the entire world under liberal principles immediately others are willing. “The Americas should consider the following programme of immediate cooperation:— “(1) The strengthening and expanding of the activities of the Inter-Ameri-can Financial and Economic Advisory Committee as an instrument for continuing consultation in respect to trade. “(2) The creation of facilities for the temporary orderly marketing of accumulated surpluses. “(3) The development of commodity agreements with a view to assuring equitable terms of trade for both consumers and producers. “(4) Consideration of the methods of improving the Americas' living standards.

Extension of Efforts

“The United States has already utilised the existing agencies to enter into mutually advantageous and cooperative arrangements with a number of the republics and is now acting to enable the extension of the volume and character of the agencies’ operations. When these steps are completed the United States will be in a position to expand its co-operative efforts with the other Americas. “A solution of economic problems alone is insufficient to preserve peace and security in this hemisphere. There are other problems the solution of which is no less important to freedom and independence. I refer to the threat to security from activities directed from, but operating within, our respective borders. Make no mistake concerning the purposes of this sinister campaign. “It is an attempt to acquire domination of the American republics by foreign Governments. In our own interests we have long recognised the source and extent of this infection, and we have already taken some steps to eradicate it. It is now urgently Incumbent on us to take decisively remedial action to ensure that the independence and political integrity of each of the Americas are fully safeguarded. “There are other pressing political problems, for example, the status of European possessions in this hemisphere. These geographic regions have not heretofore menaced the peace of the Americas. We do not desire to absorb these possessions or extend our sovereignty over them or include them in our sphere of influence, but we could not permit them to become subject to barter in the settlement of European differences or a battleground for the adjustment of such differences. “Either situation could only be regarded as a threat to the peace and safety of this hemisphere, as would any indication that they might be_ used to promote systems alien to the interAmerica system. Any effort, therefore, to modify the existing status of these areas, whether bv cession, transfer, or anv impairment whatsoever in the control heretofore exercised, would profoundly and immediately concern all American republics. “It has been suggested that our action take the form of the establishment of a collective trusteeship, to be exercised in the name of all American republics. The United States endorses this suggestion, and is prepared to co-operate should the occasion arise for its esecutioh.*-