Prisco publishes article on US-Latin American policy in the early decades of the 20th century

HOBOKEN, N.J. - A Stevens Institute of Technology Professor of History, Dr. Salvatore Prisco, recently published a major article in the journal Diplomacy and Statecraft. Titled "John Barrett and Collective Approaches to United States Foreign Policy in Latin-America," the piece is a consideration of the role played by Barrett, the director-general of the Pan American Union, a bureau of the US State Department, during the administrations of Presidents Roosevelt, Taft and Wilson.

"As the US was becoming a major power early in the last century," says Prisco, "it confronted a dilemma in its desire to promote a democratic free-enterprise system among the republics of the Western hemisphere. Should the US act unilaterally or collectively to pursue its goals? The rise of the Pan American Union provided the means to deal with issues such as revolution and economic instability in Latin America."

However, Prisco maintains, the multilateral vision of John Barrett stood increasingly at odds with the actions of the US government.

"Ultimately, in 1914," says Prisco, "President Wilson unilaterally invaded Mexico during its Revolution, despite offers from Barrett and the Pan American Union to provide collective negotiations to avoid war and establish political stability in Mexico.

"As we enter the 21st century," he continued, "the United States is still confronted by these choices, now on a global scale."

Prisco's article appeared in the September 2003 number of Diplomacy and Statecraft, Vol. 14, No. 3. The journal can be contacted at jnls@isbs.com. Professor Prisco can be contacted at sprisco@stevens.edu.

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