desirable for the effective attainment of the same purpose and the defense of the same principles. I am availing myself of the Assembly's generous hospitality to mention some of the fundamental bases of a regional system that is the oldest modern example of an international system of law, and, unquestionably, one of the most successful.

Those of us who had the privilege of being present when the United Nations was founded at San Francisco will not be surprised when I say that, during the drafting of the chapter on regional arrangements, due recognition was given in the Charter to one time-honored accomplishment, a bulwark of world peace and security, and that the provisions for regional arrangements took the existence of the Pan American System very much into account. As a matter of fact, twenty-one of the fifty nations that met at San Francisco could not have permitted the world organization to destroy their regional organization. Why was this? Many who witnessed the fervor and energy with which the American States, especially those of Latin America, defended our system could not understand why Pan Americanism which they had thought of as an effective instrument of imperialism, whereby the continent would be subjugated by its most powerful nation, the United States-was the object of so much admiration, so much devotion, and so much zeal on the part of the States that were supposed to be shackled by it. The explanation is obvious: The American system is a system of law, based on strong juridical principles and on noble. ethics, and although it was merely a structure of words, with no binding force, it counteracted imperialistic tendencies on the American continent and thwarted forever the impulses of some leaders of the United States who had come to think it

was the manifest destiny of their people to direct the hemisphere and make it conform to their needs and convenience. That is the only explanation of the fact, which history shows to be little short of a miracle, that twenty-one nations live together, completely independent and autonomous, although one of them ranks among the foremost world powers, and some of the others might be counted among the smallest. This is mainly because the regional system, which is being gradually perfected, has influenced the thinking of the people throughout the continent, and, of course, public opinion in the United States. Now, at Rio de Janeiro, we have gone further. We have obligated ourselves to adopt certain important defense measures by a vote of two-thirds of the American States, and these measures will be binding upon all, even upon those that dissent. This principle is the basis internationalists have always advocated for a democratic world government. It is not easy to apply, to be sure. But a stable peace, free from anxiety or worry, will be attained only when all nations accept this principle as the inevitable consequence of the juridical equality of States.

The evolution of the American system and of the Pan American Union, which personifies it, has not been easy. During the Union's fifty-seven years there have been wars between American States, and also wars of conquest, and imperialistic acts. But the system has prevailed. Every five, every ten years, progress has been made. The most recent advances, since the Good Neighbor policy was made effective at Montevideo in nineteen thirtythree, have been spectacular. Therefore, no one was better prepared at San Francisco than the American States to accept the obligations of the Charter in good faith. They well know the value to the