BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.

A PROCLAMATION.

WHEREAS & Convention on the Pan American Highway was signed at Buenos Aires on December 23, 1936, by the respective plenipotentiaries of the United States of America and the twenty other American Republics represented at the Inter-American Conference for the Maintenance of Peace, a true copy of which Convention, in the English, Spanish, Portuguese and French languages, is word for word as follows: 1

CONVENTION ON THE PAN AMERICAN HIGHWAY

The Governments represented at the Inter-American Conference for the Maintenance of Peace,

Cognizant of the fact that the primary purpose of the Inter-American Conference is the strengthening of the bonds of friendship already existing between the countries of this Continent;

Convinced that direct and material contact between the American peoples necessarily would strengthen those bonds, consolidating therefore the peace of the Continent;

Knowing that the general welfare will be greater when there is greater facility for the exchange of the products of said countries;

Considering, finally, that one of the most adequate and efficient means for the attainment of the moral and material end aimed at jointly by the American Republics, is the termination of a highway which establishes a permanent communication between their respective territories,

Have decided to conclude a convention on that subject and for such purpose, have appointed the following plenipotentiaries:

1 The texts follow literally the certified copy of the convention furnished by the Argentine Government.-The editor.

Venezuela:

CARACCIOLO Parra PÉREZ,
GUSTAVO HERRERA,

ALBERTO ZÉREGA FOMBONA.

Peru:

CARLOS CONCHA,

ALBERTO ULLOA,

FELIPE BARREDA LAOS,

DIÓMEDES ARIAS SCHREIBER.

El Salvador:

MANUEL CASTRO RAMÍREZ,
MAXIMILIANO PATRICIO BRANNON.

Mexico:

FRANCISCO CASTILLO NÁJERA,

ALFONSO REYES,

RAMÓN BETETA,

JUAN MANUEL ALVAREZ DEL CASTILLO.

Brazil:

JOSÉ CARLOS DE MACEDO SOARES,

OSWALDO ARANHA,

JOSÉ DE PAULA RODRÍGUES ALVES,

HELIO LOBO,

HILDEBRANDO POMPEU PINTO ACCIOLY,
EDMUNDO DA LUZ PINTO,

ROBERTO CARNEIRO DE MENDONÇA,

ROSALINA COELHO LISBOA DE MILLER,

MARÍA LUIZA BITTENCOURT.

Chile:

MIGUEL CRUCHAGA TOCORNAL,

LUIS BARROS BORGONO,

FÉLIX NIETO DEL RÍO,

RICARDO MONTANER BELLO.

Ecuador:

HUMBERTO ALBORNOZ,
ANTONIO PONS,

José GABRIEL NAVARRO,

FRANCISCO GUARDERAS,

EDUARDO SALAZAR GÓMEZ.

Bolivia:

DAVID ALVÉSTEGUI,

ENRIQUE FINOT,

EDUARDO DÍEZ DE MEDINA.

ALBERTO OSTRIA GUTIÉRREZ,

CARLOS ROMERO,

ALBERTO CORTADELLAS,

JAVIER PAZ CAMPERO.

Haiti:

H. PAULEUS SANNON,
CAMILLE J. LEÓN,
ELIE LESCOT,

EDMÉ MANIGAT,

PIERRE EUGENE DE LESPINASSE,
CLÉMENT MAGLOIRE.

Cuba:

JOSÉ MANUEL CORTINA,

RAMÓN ZAYDIN,

CARLOS MÁRQUEZ STERLING,

RAFAEL SANTOS JIMÉNEZ,
CÉSAR SALAYA,

CALIXTO WHITMARSH,

JOSÉ MANUEL CARBONELL.

Who, after exhibiting their Full Powers, found to be in good and due form, have agreed as follows:

Art. 1.-The High Contracting Parties agree to collaborate, with all diligence and by all adequate means, in the speedy completion of a Pan American Highway, which will permit at all times the transit of motor vehicles.

Art. 2.-The High Contracting Parties shall form a Commission of technical experts with the object of coordinating the work of the different governments and also to complete the studies and formulate the necessary projects in those countries which, not having heretofore completed this work, may need the cooperation of the Commission.

Art. 3.-Immediately after ratifying the present Convention, the High Contracting Parties shall consult among each other with a view to appointing a financial committee composed of the representatives of three of the ratifying Governments. This Committee shall study the problems concerning the speedy completion of the Pan American Highway, and within a period not more than six months from the date of its constitution shall submit a detailed report for the consideration of the Governments, accompanied by a plan for the solution of said problems.

Art. 4.-Finally the High Contracting Parties bind themselves to establish or designate at once in their respective territories at least one permanent public office, for the purpose of giving information on the work in progress, the sections of the Highway which are passable, the local transit regulations and all other information which nationals and tourists of the signatory countries may require.

Art. 5. The present Convention shall not affect obligations previously entered into by the High Contracting Parties by virtue of international agreements.

Art. 6. The present Convention shall be ratified by the High Contracting Parties in conformity with their respective constitutional procedures. The original instrument shall be deposited in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Argentine Republic which shall transmit authentic certified copies to the Governments for the aforementioned purpose of ratification. The instruments of ratification shall be deposited in the archives of the Pan American Union in Washington, which shall notify the signatory governments of said deposit. Such notification shall be considered as an exchange of ratifications.