CONFERENCE OF MINISTERS

Press, Volume LXXVIII, Issue 23537, 15 January 1942, Page 5

CONFERENCE OF MINISTERS

MEETING IN RIO DE JANEIRO 19 REPUBLICS WILL SUPPORT U.S. (Received January 14, 10.30 p.m.) (U.P.A.) NEW YORK. January 13. The “New York Herald Tribune” states that the United States will not ask for a joint declaration of war against the Axis at the conference of Foreign Ministers of the Americas, opening at Rio de Janeiro on Thursday, but will demand complete severance of political and economic relations between Latin America and the Nineteen Republics are lined up in the United States camp. Chile, although fearful of Japanese attacks on her long, exposed coastline, is expected to co-operate, leaving Argentina in a lonely minority of one. For the first time for five years the United States is so confident of its power and prestige that it will refuse any Argentine compromise, "and informed circles believe that Argentina has already lost her struggle for PanAmerican dominance. A message from Rio de Janeiro says that Mexico’s Foreign Minister (Senor Ezequiel Padilla) disclosed to-day that Mexico, Colombia, and Venezuela had formed a bloc which would seek a united pan-American severance of relations with the nations at war'with the United States. There are three groups, first the Central American and Caribbean nations desiring an outright declaration of war; second, an opposite group, including Argentina and Chile, desiring a declaration of a state of non-belligerency; and, third, a group including Mexico’s bloc supporting the breaking off of relations. Argentina’s hesitancy to enter any military alliances was the subject of numerous conferences to-day. However, Mr Sumner Welles, the United States Under-Secretary of State, expressed great satisfaction and encouragement regarding the general position, particularly concerning Brazil, which was formerly regarded as doubtful. A message from Buenos Aires says that the Acting-President of Argentina (Dr. Ramon Castillo) told the press that he fully supported the Foreign Minister’s declaration that Argentina was unable to agree on military alliances or other “measures of belligerency” at the pan-American conference. He added that Argentina would follow “its traditional international policies.” The office of the German Consu-late-General in Rio de Janeiro, located alongside the German Legation, has started burning its diplomatic papers. It is believed that it fears the severance of diplomatic relations will result from the pan-American conference.