CHAPTER THREE Work of the Conference: S ›UPPLEMENTING the Treaty of Reciprocal Assistance, the Con ference approved 15 separate resolutions embodied in the Final Act. These fall into three general categories: The customary expressions of appreciation for work connected with the Conference and of tribute to leaders in inter-American affairs; those dealing principally with matters of peace and security; and those relating to the work of the Ninth International Conference of American States. Resolutions of Appreciation and Tribute At its initial session, the Conference unanimously approved a resolution of greeting to Brazil, through President Dutra, and an expression of appreciation for its generous hospitality as host country (Resolution I), and at the final session rendered a well deserved tribute to His Excellency Raul Fernandes, Minister of Foreign Affairs in Brazil and President of the Conference (Resolution XV). On the motion of several of the delegations the Conference likewise expressed its thanks to Senator Arthur Vandenberg of the United States delegation for his work both in connection with the provisions of the United Nations Charter on regional arrangements and in the labors of the instant Conference (Resolution XIV). 1 Appendix one, part 1. For other resolutions proposed at the Conference but not included in the Final Act, see appendix two, part 2. 39 Taking cognizance of the fact that subsequent to the last InterAmerican Conference at Mexico City, the death of Dr. Leo S. Rowe, Director General of the Pan American Union, had deprived America of one of its most esteemed citizens, the Conference paused in its deliberations to express its deep regret (Resolution V). At the same time, the Governments represented at the Conference recorded their pleasure at the appointment of Dr. Alberto Lleras Camargo as Dr. Rowe's successor and their conviction as to the success of his work (Resolution VI). The presence at the Conference, on invitation of the Governing Board, of the Honorable Trygve Halvdan Lie, Secretary General of the United Nations, was occasion for an official expression of tribute by the Conference (Resolution III) and, regretting the necessity of his departure while the Conference was still in session, the Governments represented extended to Mr. Benjamin Cohen, Assistant Secretary General of the United Nations, the invitation to replace Mr. Lie as observer and representative of the world organization (Resolution VIII). Finally the American Republics rendered respectful tribute to two great national Presidents and continental leaders, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, late President of the United States, and Tomás Berreta, the late President of Uruguay, whose deaths had occurred in the interval between the last general inter-American conference and the convocation of the present one. Resolutions Dealing With Matters of At the time of the convocation of the Conference the tranquillity of the continent was affected by civil strife in Paraguay, a situation which the Conference felt it should not ignore and with respect to which it might take some useful action. Therefore, on motion of the delegation of Uruguay, it approved a resolution (Resolution IV of the Final Act) urging the contending parties within Paraguay to accept the offer of mediation which had been made by Brazil, Argentina, Bolivia, and other countries. As a reflection of the general desire of the American Republics for the strengthening of universal peace on the basis of justice and international law, the Conference, on the initiative of the Uruguayan delegation, approved a resolution (Resolution VII) reiterating confidence in the principles of justice and international law and the sentiments of concord governing inter-American relations and expressing the hope that these will contribute to the efforts of the United Nations in strengthening universal peace. Two other resolutions-one concerning compulsory arbitration and the other dealing with armaments-relate specifically to security problems raised by the treaty. The resolution on compulsory arbitration for all nonjuridical disputes is the result of a proposal by Uruguay, which has long favored the compulsory settlement of all disputes by judicial or arbitral means. Principles and procedures for such compulsory settlement were included in the draft treaty submitted to the Conference by the Uruguayan delegation and, as a separate proposal, the same delegation submitted an amendment to the preamble incorporating the principle. It was the general feeling of a majority of the other delegations, however, that the treaty was not the appropriate place for dealing with the matter since it does not deal with pacific settlement procedures. Consequently, it was finally decided to embody the proposal in a recommendation to the Ninth International Conference of American States which will be concerned with pacific settlement matters. This decision is embodied in Resolution X of the Final Act to the effect that "there be studied with a view to approval, institutions which may give effectiveness to a pacific system of security and among them compulsory arbitration for any dispute which may endanger peace and which is not of a juridical nature." Resolution XI of the Final Act, declaring the armaments policy of the American Republics in relation to the treaty, was similarly the result of proposals made by Uruguay for both the substantive portion and the preamble. It underscores the fact that the treaty is not a military alliance and that its obligations are not intended to justify a departure from the policy of the American Republics regarding disarmament. The resolution asserts that the primary purpose of both the Conference and the treaty "is to assure the peace and security of the Continent and, consequently, that no stipulation of the Treaty nor any of the obligations created under it should be interpreted as justifying excessive armaments or may be invoked as a reason for the creation or maintenance of armaments or armed forces beyond those required for common defense in the interest of peace and security." Resolutions Relating to the Work of the Ninth Three resolutions, in addition to Resolution X discussed above, specifically recommend the consideration of certain problems by the Ninth International Conference of American States. The most important of these, Resolution IX, directs the Inter-American Economic and Social Council to prepare a draft agreement on inter-American economic cooperation for submission to the Ninth International Conference; requests the Governments to appoint to the Council economic and financial specialists for this purpose; and declares that a special economic conference shall be called during the latter half of 1948 to consider procedures for implementing the agreement. Notwithstanding the fact that the purpose of the Rio Conference was limited to the conclusion of the treaty, a number of factors combined to bring the general problem of economic cooperation to the attention of the delegates, leading to the adoption of Resolution IX. In addition to the specific proposals of the Cuban delegation relating to economic aggression, the economic crisis in those parts of the world seriously affected by the war, the efforts of the United States and some of the other Republics to alleviate this crisis, and the problems of economic readjustment and development faced by the American Republics themselves were all factors which led to awareness of the importance to hemisphere and world security of the development of sound national economies and the intensification of international cooperative efforts in the economic field. There was, nevertheless, a general agreement that this Conference, in view of its nature and purposes, was not the appropriate forum for the resolution of these matters. Consequently, 13 of the delegations submitted jointly the motion which was seconded by the United States and which became Resolution IX. Of the other two resolutions relating to the work of the Ninth International Conference, one (Resolution XII) recommends that it consider in connection with the preamble of the Organic Pact on the Inter-American System certain general preambulatory language which had been proposed by the delegation of Peru for the treaty but not accepted by the committee. The other (Resolution XIII), approved at the instance of the delegate from Honduras, entrusts to the Pan American Union Governing Board the drafting of a document entitled "American Educational Charter for Peace," for study by the Ninth International Conference. |