CUSHIONING WAR EFFECTS

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20053, 27 September 1939, Page 7

CUSHIONING WAR EFFECTS

AMERICAN NATIONS UNITED STATES’ OFFER I MAINTENANCE OF TRADE (Reed. Sept. 26, 3 p.m.) - PANAMA, Sept. 25. The United States Under-Secretary of State, Mr. Sumner-Welles, in opening the Pan-American conference, offered Latin America, the economic co-operation of the United States and the assistance of her merchant marine as ways of helping to cushion the effect of the war on the western hemisphere. He asserted that the western republics were determined to defend themselves and their rights and called on the delegates to state emphatically that “we cannot agree that the security of their nationals and legitimate commercial interests should be jeopardised by belligerent activities in close proximity to the shores of the new world.”

Recalling the disruption of interAmerican shipping in 1914, Mr. Welles said that the United States felt that the “opportunity at present afforded us severally to assure ourselves and each other that it shall not occur again.”

He was authorised to state the United States’ position as follows: “While the present situation continues. the regular facilities of shipping lines at present in operation are not only not being curtailed, but arc being strengthened and increased whenever an increase is desirable and feasible.”

He expressed the opinion that the Republic’s desire to consider rights the duties of neutrals would obtain “the complete respect by all belligerents of our respective sovereignties-"