ABBREVIATORS, officials in the papal chancery, whose business was to draft the pope's bulls, briefs and consistorial de crees before these were written out in extenso by the scriptores. They are first mentioned in Extravagantes of John XXII. Pius II. fixed their number at 70, and formed them into a college of prelates, classing them as de Parco majori and de Parco minori. The present college consists of 17 prelates, six substitutes, and one sub-substitute. (See CURIA ROMANA.) A.B.C. POWERS, a designation which came into use shortly before the World War for the three leading South Ameri can powers—Argentina, Brazil and Chile. For many years previ ously a current of opinion had prevailed in several republics of South America favouring an alliance to counteract certain politi cal tendencies of the United States and particularly the Monroe Doctrine. Recalling unsettled boundaries and other political prob lems, statesmen of certain Latin American republics had, from time to time, provided for arbitration agreements or other means of mutual assistance in case of emergencies. Among such was the treaty between Brazil and Chile in 1899; between Argentina and Chile in 19oz ; and between Argentina and Brazil in 1905. These pacts have been regarded as the forerunners of the three-power entente cordiale that gradually developed and was discussed at the first Pan-American Scientific Congress, held at Santiago, Chile, in 1908-09. In 1915 Argentina, Brazil and Chile concluded among themselves a group of treaties of peace and arbitration.
On April 25, 1914, when war between the United States and Mexico appeared imminent, the Governments of Argentina, Bra zil and Chile, through their diplomatic representatives at Washing ton, Dr. Romulo S. Naon, Sr. Domicio da Gama, and Don Eduardo Suarez, respectively, addressed the secretary of State of the United States tendering their services as mediators. This media tion was accepted by President Woodrow Wilson, who appointed as United States delegates Justice Joseph R. Lamar and Frederick W. Lehmann, while Mexico chose as her representatives Sres. Emilio Rabasa, Augustin Rodriguez and Luis Elguero. These A.B.C. mediators, together with the Americans and the Mexi cans, met in a series of sessions at Niagara Falls, Canada. The deliberations began on May 18, 1914, and were continued until August of the same year. The result of the conference was thus summarized by the Brazilian delegate, SenhOr da Gama, as fol lows: "We have established, through agreement between the parties most directly interested, and in complete harmony with the sentiments of the Government of the United States, that it is a principle of American policy to have our national problems always given a fair examination and settled without foreign inter ference." (W. A. R.)