An American Safety Belt The Pan-American Conference, consisting of 21
North and South American Republics, has concluded its proceed- ings with a declaration establishing a " safety belt " around the Americas extending 30o miles out to sea and as mud. as 600 miles in certain indicated areas. In this zone " no hostile acts may be engaged in or bellicose activities carried out by participants in a war in which American Govern- ments do not participate." The United States has been the prime mover in arriving at this resolution. The object is to associate all the countries of the New World in a con- certed effort to insulate themselves from the Old World and its war. But how does this proposal to extend territorial waters far into the ocean affect Great Britain and- her allies? We could clearly only accept the American claim if the American Governments were able to exercise effective jurisdiction over these vast areas of ocean. Supposing a German raider or submarine fleeing from a British man-of- war took refuge in this zone, could the United States Navy undertake to arrest and intern it? Obviously all the navies of America could not guarantee such effective police work ; and if they could, an attack on a German ship would be a belligerent act against Germany, and would thus involve participation in the war which it was a prime object to avoid. Some clarification is needed.
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