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The Commoner
.UftUAltY, If) 16
9
moFt'.'esseniiar thing in "the iniprovenibnt. of lu
lernaftohal relations, whether bu.slilttjs; s6clal or
political. , , .
'Encouragement could also be giveri to tho
study of the two languages by colleges,' 'especial
ly by those located in the southern part of the
United States and in the northern republics of
Latin America', where special inducements could
be offered foreign students. The United States,
for instance, could establish in .Porto TUco, Pan
ama, and at accessible points" along the Gulf
coast, schools In which special attention would
be giVeti to the teaching of the Spanish language
and Spanish history, and the Latin speaking na
tions could in. return offer similar inducements
to students from the north. In these special
scho'ojs young. men from the United States in
tending to go south and young men in the south
ern .countries planning to come north could meet
and,, while preparing themselves for tleir work,
acquire that . personal acquaintance which con
tributes so .largely to success.
Another suggestion. While a -large vpcabu
lary, is of cpurse desirable, still comparatively
few. words are absolutely necessary for the car
rying on of- conversation and correspondence. A
few months ago I suggested to a number of rep
resentatives of Latin America the advisability of
attempting, to introduce into each .of the two
languages tl.vemore important words of the other
language. The suggestion received s,a much en
couragement that I venture to submit it here. .
Five hundred "English words introduced into the
Spanish dictionary, as synonyms for Spanish
words have the same meaning, and the intro
duction of a like number of Spanish words into
the English dictionary would lead to the grad
ual absorption by people of all the countries of
the most necessary words of the two languages
and. would make it easier for representatives of
the different republics to talk to and understand
each other without special training. . . Even a
smaller number of. words might be selected a3 a
beginning. If the suggestion, commends itself, to
this congress. a commission can be-appointed to
formulate the plan. - . ..t . -. ut. . ....
Tlie -opening 6'f the Panama 'canal has accentu
'gced.th'e possibility f larger trade between' North
'aiid'South America, and the interruption of ex
isting lines of transp6rtation has made more
obvious the- necessity of co-operation between
the United States and Central and South Amer
ica In the establishment Of trade routes. .
" Secretary McAdoo has taken up tlie' matter
and is endeavoring to secure authority to estab
lish a government controlled merchant marine,
'for the double purpose of laying out new trade
routes and providing against interruptions like
those which have occurred during, the past
eighteen months. I am sure that all of our
neighboring republics will give hearty com
mendation to the plan and I hope that the gov
ernments of Central and South America will con
sider the advisability of adopting a similar pol
icy: ' If each government represented here will
act to the limit of its ability a new. impetus will
be given to inter-American traffic, to the benefit
of-all.
' The establishment, of the same monetary unit
throughout the western hemisphere has long
been discussed and there is no doubt that it
would greatly facilitate exchange between the
countries. The currency law now in force in the
United States has, by authorizing the establish
ment of branch banks in foreign lands, greatly
aided - in the improvement of trade conditions,
"but as it will require some years to realize to the
full the advantage made possible by this law, it
is worth while to consider whether it would not
be wise for the American governments, to facili
tate exchange by an arrangement under which
they would cable to reach other deposits made
with them to cover foreign purchases.
: I ask your pardon for repeating here a sugges
tion which I made last June at a banquet given
in" connection-with the Pan-American Commer
cial congress then assembled in Washington. It
"is that the government of the United States
should. If desired by any of the republics of
Latin America, underwrite bonds issued by them
for the development of their resources. During
my connection with the state department I had
opportunity to learn of the enormous burden
thrown upon the smaller republics of Central
and South America by the high interest rates
which they were compelled to pay, and I became
convinced that these high interestjrates not only
worked an- injustice, to the countrieshat paid
"them and retarded the proper development of
those countries, but that these loans,, often tlie
best that could be secured under existing' condi-
' tions, sometimes caused insurrections and .revo
lutions. After dealing with these conditions
officially for two years I reached thepoqclusion
that the government of tho United States could
show its good will toward Latin America in no
better way than by playing the part of a 'pros
perous friend to these republics, by lending its
credit to support loans necessary for legitimate
development work. The United States, bejng
able to borrow at a low rate, could accept tho
bonds of neighboring republics drawing a much
lower rate of interest than 'those now Issued, and
hold them as security for its own bonds, Issued
at the normal rate. To illustrate what I mean,
leC us suppose a case. If one of the republics of
Central or South America, now paying G per cont
interest or more, desired to enter upon some
work of development, it could issue its bonds
drawing, say, 4 per cent, and our government
could accept them as security for its own bonds
drawing 3 per cent or such higher rate as the
market demanded, the difference between the
rate paid by the borrowing republic and tho rate
paid on the United States bonds to be turned in
to a sinking fund to retire the development
bonds. This plan would give to the borrowing
countries the advantage of the credit of tho
United States and enable them to make a large
IMMEDIATE saving in interest, besides tho sav
ing that would accrue to them in the retirement
of their. bondsr Such assistance. co,uld bo ren
dered, by the United States without any, appre
ciable risk, and it would not only aid the repub
lic assisted but it would furnish conclusive prdof
of: this country's disinterested friendship.
This congress has already under consideration
the possibility -of co-operation In the dofense of
the western hemisphere as embodied in the prop
osition recently submitted by the President
through Secretary Lansing, which contemplates
a joint convention providing for investigation of
all. diplomatic differences and tho arbitration of
boundary disputes among the republics of Amer
ica a convention which will go far toward rc
.moving the possibility of armed confiic.t between
them. This evolution of the Mpnroe Doctrine,
enforced by the United States alone,, into pan
Americanism, supported by all' tho American
.republics-jointly, will not .only insure solidarity
of sentiment but will, by the union of their
strength, lessen the expenditures necessary for
their protection from possible attempts at in
vasion,, especially since the danger of. invasion
Is 'decreased in proportion as the .pressure of
population in Europe has, been reduced by tlie
enormous loss of life occasiontd by the war. The
proposed convention between the American re
publics will also make it certain that the repub
lics of the western hemisphere will not. by par
ticipation in the forcible settlement of European
quarrels, surrender their, right to exclude Euro
pean nations from armed interference in any dis
putes that may arise between the American re
publics. In conclusion permit me to express tlie deep
gratification which I feel at ihe spirit Of co-operation
and friendship which have made possible
the treaties already negotiated between the
United States and. the Latin speaking republics.
Tlie plan providing for investigation of disputes
of every character, was submitted to all of the
nations of the world at the same time, but to
Latin America fell the honor of first accepting
the proposal. The republic of Salvador signed a
treaty of this kind on the eighth of August, 1913,
and Guatemala, Panama, Honduras and Nicara
gua followed in the order named. It was not
until after these five treaties had been concluded
with Latin American republics that the first
treaty with a European nation wab negotiated,
viz., the one with The Netherlands, signed on tlie
eighteenth of December following.
We now have thirty of these treaties connect
ing us with nations exercising authority , over
three-quarters of the people of the globe. Nearly
all pt the republics of Central and South Amer
ica are included in the thirty countries and the
plan embodied in these treaties has been fol
lowed in the treaty recently entered into between
Brazil, Argentina and Chile.
These treaties, being all inclusive, leave no
dispute which can become the cause of war with
out a period of investigation, and. it is confident
ly hoped that this period of investigation will in
every case' enable the countries to reach a satis
factory agreement.
And when could the example set by the west
ern republiqs be more timely? While Europe,
rent with passionris in the throes of a. struggle
'more bloody and, costly" than any wich the world
lias before .known, peace prevails "in the Amer
icas. On the north of. us there" is an .unfortified
boundary .line of 3,0Q0. miles and" our nation
1
has 'relieved our neighbors on. the south of any
' fears .that they may havo had of invasion or con
quest by' us, Nor is our nation alone in giving
evidence of peaceful intontlons. On the bound-'
nry lino between Argentina and Chile there
stands an heroic figure, tho Christ of the Andes,
erected by joint contributions of the citizens o
tho two republics, a proof of present amity and
a pledge of future friendship. God grant that
all tho American republics, one in their rever
ence for God and in their worship of His Son1,
identical in their aspirations and similar in their
governmental methods, may in the spirit o
brotherhood forever co-operate in tho advance
ment of the matorlal, intellectual and moral wel
fare of tho westorn world honorable rivals in
helpfulness and service They are joint tenants
,of a new land, neighbors in a new qo.untry, and
are united by ties of Interest as well as by ties
of sentiment. "What God hath Joined together
let no ftian put asunder."
WHY ALL THIH SUDDIOX INTKHKS'IVhV AND
. . 1IAWTH AllOlfV PKHPAHEDNKtfB?, ..., .
.From tho Montgomery, Ala,, Journnitl,
, Alii the. present agitation about ihcj prepared
ness jof the United States for war has grown up
within the last six months. v ' " '
Heretofore, even with tho aid of Captain ilob
son, and a few other democrats, flidrrepUb,ncan
program for a big army and- navy was. kept In
duo bounds. , ,
. Even so mouest a program (as compared) with
present demands) of two battleships a year,..wjth
an army up to the present maximum o(10O,pOO
was kept down. . .
This whole warlike spirit uiul this demand for
a large army and navy is un-American and. un
democratic. : 3-t
It is something born of the present war craze,
-Which Is sweeping over tlie earth with a fury
never before known, seemingly insatiable S to
blood and treasure. j ''"
'Neither life, wealth, MppiiiesB.' "religion" nor
anything sacred, can stay this 'mad spirit. """
Yet nobody tries to account for the increased,
and Inflamed war spirit in this country why it
should have so suddenly come upon the cduntry.
changed men's opinion, Jund the policies' ef-gVeat
political parties. " n
The strange thing abdut tho whole 'matfe? is
that aB thp great nations of Europe d a j became
more and more exhausted In men and" in'mbhey,
in all the powers of war and resourced of4 en
durance, the greater becomes the scare Inr't'fils
country. ' ' ' -
; As the world grows less and less aib,le''tof'aB
surae the role of the aggressor and thc'co'nquer
or, the greater becomes the American sentiment
for armament. '.
The ideals of the past are reversed.
It was formerly, .prepare in proportion to
danger. Nov it is prepare in proportion to the
weakness of the world.
A little more than a year ago, Europe stood
confronting the world in armed peace prepared
to strike at a moment's notice with its finances
in better condition than ever in its history.
Now the great nations of Europe have each
other by the throat, and are engaged in, a.,. life
and death struggle exhausting their substance
nfc the rate of something near $75,O0O,QO6 a
day.
There is .no prospect for immediate peace.
Wo are neutral. '
There is no reason why wc should be other
wise, so there is not cause for all this alarm and
no reason for all this fever and excitement.
Calmly and candidly looking the question over
ip all its aspects, there is but one or two conclu
sions which can be reached.
(1) Either that democracy has made up its
mind to depart from the teachings of the fathers,
go back uponall itsformer principles of freedom,
all its opposition to a big army and navy, or, (2)
the munition plants of the country have gotten
control of public opinion, and have determined
to find a customer in the United States when
Europe shall be exhausted and bankrupt.
Therefore democracy has entered into compe
tition with republicanism to see which party
can succeed before tlie people in a game of jingoism.
Dr. Grimshaw, who is professor of system and
organization In the University ot New York, has
given an experjt opinion, that the, Navy league is
inefficient U he means. by that that it,does not
know what it is. .talking. about, it might be re
plied that that, fact was disclosed some time ago.
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