Results of the Lima Conference - March 15, 1939 Issue - Foreign Policy Report

Sep 21, 2026

Foreign Policy Association report on the Lima Conference, held December 6–12, 1938 in Peru, analyzing inter-American solidarity in the face of political, cultural, and potential armed aggression. It outlines delegates from the United States, the host presidency and conference commissions, and summarizes key resolutions. Emphasis is placed on Secretary Hull’s statements, the push for continental cooperation, and differing South American perspectives amid Nazi-Fascist and totalitarian concerns.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages8

Reading Time20 min

AccessFree to download

Declaration of Solidarity

Inter-American solidarity and U.S. aims

Delegation, commissions, and conference organization

Resolutions and next Pan-American conference

PLEAS三DO 二VOVE FOREIGN POLICYREPORTS March I5,I939 Results of the Lima Conference BY CHARLES A.THOMSON PUBLISHED TWICE A MONTH BY THE Foreign Policy Association,Incorporated EIGHT WEST FORTIETH STREET,NEW YORK,N.Y. VOLUME XV NUMBER I 25øa copy $5.00 a year Results of the Lima Conference BY CHARLES A.THOMSON with the aid of the Research Staf of the Foreign Policy Association THE Lima Conference met at a time when public Lima(December 6-12)on an offcial visit to theattention in the United States was focused to a Peruvian government,and addressed the Confer-unique degree on Latin America.Two dangers hadence at its first plenary session.arisen which seemed to threaten the increasing cor-The United States was represented by a delega-diality and cooperation among American nationstion of twelve members:Secretary of State Cordellresulting from the Good Neighbor policy and theHull;former Governor Alfred M.Landon;As-Chaco peace.Within the hemisphere the Cárdenassistant-Secretary of State Adolf A.Berle,Jr.;Lau-expropriation policy had caused friction betweenrence Steinhardt,then Ambassador to Peru;HenryMexico and the United States,and awakened fearsNorweb,Minister to the Dominican Republic;Dr.regarding the position of foreign capital in otherEmilio del Toro Cuevas,President of the SupremeLatin American countries.From without had comeCourt of Puerto Rico;Green H.Hackworth,Legalthe drive of the fascist powers for extension of theirAdviser of the Department of State;Rev.John F.influence in the Americas.The course of EuropeanO'Hara,President of the University of Notreevents,including the Munich accord and theDame;Charles G.Fenwick,Professor of PoliticalNazis'subsequent anti-Semitic excesses,sharpenedScience at Bryn Mawr College;Mrs.Elise F.Mus-apprehension concerning the significance of theser,former Senator of the Utah State Legislature;totalitarian campaign.A Franco victory in Spain,Dan W.Tracy,President of the International Con-Lccoiding tu many observers,threatened to providefederation of Electrical Workers(affiliated with thea new channel for German-Italian penetration.A.F.of L.);and Miss Kathryn Lewis,secretary toPresident Roosevelt's proposal for continental de-the President of the United Mine Workers offense,launched in his press conference on Novem-North America(affiliated with the C.I.O.).ber I5,further stimulated public interest.OpinionIn accordance with established precedent,thegained ground that the Lima Conference might re-ranking delegate of the host country—Foreign Min-sult in a defensive alliance of the American nationsister Carlos Concha of Peru--was made presidentagainst external aggression.As a consequence ofof the Conference.A Commission on Initiatives,these developments,the Conference met under thecomposed of the chiefs of the twenty-one delega-handicap of great expectations.tions,served as a steering committee.The actual work of the Conference was carried on by sevenCommissions,corresponding to the seven chaptersinto which the Conference agenda was divided.These Commissions,with their respective chair-men,were as follows: The gathering,officially entitled the Eighth In-ternational Conference of American States,held itssessions from December 9 to 27,I938.All thetwenty-one American republics were represented.Ten countries sent their Foreign Ministers:Bolivia,Colombia,Costa Rica,Cuba,Ecuador,Guatemala,Nicaragua,Panama,Peru and the United States.In addition Dr.José María Cantilo,Minister forForeign Affairs of Argentina,spent six days in I.Organization of Peace;Afranio de Mello Franco,of Brazil. II.International Law;Roberto Urdaneta Arbaláez,of Colombia. III.Economic Problems;Diógenes Escalante,ofVenezuela. IV.Political and Civil Rights of Women;Juan J.Remos,of Cuba. V.Intellectual Cooperation and Moral Disarma-ment;Julio Tobar Donoso,of Ecuador.VI.The Pan American Union and the InternationalConferences of American States;Eduardo Diezde Medina,of Bolivia.VII.Reports;Justo Past

FAQs

When and where was the Lima Conference held?

It met at Lima during an offical visit to the Peruvian government from December 6–12, and the report is dated March 15, 1939.

What was the main U.S. concern at the conference?

The United States delegation aimed to develop more effective inter-American cooperation against political and cultural penetration and possible armed aggression by totalitarian states.

How did the report describe Secretary Hull’s position on inter-American solidarity?

Hull asserted that the American nations would not permit invasion of the hemisphere by the armed forces or any possible combination of powers, and he criticized doctrines and activities intended to undermine established institutions and basic social order.

Sep 21, 2026

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