ROOSEVELT'S DIRECT APPEAL FOR PEACE.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIX, Issue 228, 27 September 1938, Page 10

ROOSEVELT'S DIRECT APPEAL FOR PEACE.

ELOQUENT PLEA.

Urges Settling "For Sake of All Humanity."

WAR SUFFERINGS RECALLED.

United Press Association.—Copyright.

(Received 2.4.". p.m.)

WASHINGTON, September 20,

President Roosevelt's dramatic plea to avert war in which he obviously fears the United States might be drawn in, was made without any previous indication that £uch a step was contemplated.

He cancelled his weekend yachting owing to the crisis, but attended the President's Cup regatta for a few hours. On returning he learned the latest developments from Mr. Cordell Hull Secretary of State.

Apparently the Czechoslovakian rejection of Heir Hitler's latest demand combined with news of the Fuehrer's speech to-morrow, determined him to appeal directly to the statesmen concerned. He sat down and drafted his statement and signed it, at 30 minutes past midnight, timing it to reach Berlin, Prague, Paris and London as the sun rose on what might have been the last day of peace in Europe.

| Journalists were roused from their beds and summoned to White House. The message was tabled direct to Herr Hitler and Dr. Benes and transmitted to Mr. Chamberlain and M. Daladier through Mr. Hull. The text is as follows:— Consequences Incalculable. "The fabric of peace on the Continent of Europe is in immediate danger. The consequences of its rupture are incalculable. Should hostilities break out the lives of millions of men, women and children in every country involved would certainly be lost under circutn- J stances of unspeakable horror. "The economic system in every country involved is certain to be shattered! and the social structure may well be completely wrecked. "The United States has no political entanglements. It is not caught in the mess of hatred. Elements of all Europe formed its civilisation. The supreme desire of the American people is to live in peace, but in the event of a general war they will face the fact. "Xo nation can escape some measure of the consequences of such a world catastrophe. The United States' traditional policy has been furtherance of a settlement of international disputes by pacific means. It is my conviction that all people are under war or threat of war to-day. I pray that peace may be made before; rather than after war. "It is imperative that peoples everywhere should recall that every civilised nation voluntarily assumed some obligations of the Kellogg-Briand Pact of 1928 to solve controversies only by pacific ! methods. Bound to Treaties for Peace. 1 Tn addition most nations are parties ' to other binding treaties obligating them ] to preserve peace. All countries to-day ' have available for peaceful solution of * difficulties which may arise, treaties of ' arbitration and conciliation to which ' they are parties. » "Whatever may be the differences in the controversies at issue, however 8 difficult of pacific settlement they may t be, I am persuaded there is no problem so difficult or so pressing that cannot justly be solved by resort to reason rather than resort to force. "During the present crisis the people I of the United States and their Government earnestly hoped that negotiations r for adjustment of the controversy in ? Europe might reach a successful conclusion. So long will there remain the 9 hope that reason and that spirit of * equity may prevail and the world may . thereby escape the madness of a new " resort to war.

"On behalf of the 130,000,000 people of the United Stated, and for the sake of humanity everywhere, I moat earnestly appeal to you not to break off negotiations looking to a peaceful, fair and constructive settlement of the questions at issue.

"I earnestly repeat, that so long as I negotiations continue, differences may be reconciled. Once they are broken off reason will be banished and force will assert itself and force produces no solution for the future gdbd of humanity."

Mr. Roosevelt summoned an extraordinary session of Cabinet for tomorrow. It is expected to make a thorough exploration of the European situation.

Anti-German Feeling Rises. The rising tide of anti-German feeling in the United States was indicated yesterday by attacks from pulpits and militant demonstrations. Over 20.000 people filled Madison Square Garden, New York, and adjacent streets were closed to allow the huge outdoor meeting to be held.

The gathering called on the United States Government, in the event of war, to prohibit all traffic with Germany and contributed 26,000 dollars to the Czechoslovakian Red Cross.

Or. William Manning, the Protestant Bishop of New York, was- cheered by 0000 mothers of men killed in the Great War assembled in Central Park, when he said: "There is a point beyond which injustice and aggression cannot be permitted. War is being forced on the world by a madman's actions. It is America's duty to be prepared."

At the National Convention of the I Workers' Alliance, at Cleveland, a | resolution was carried demanding that I President Boosevelt immediately declare that the United States favours full support of Czechoslovakia. The resolution also demanded the prohibition of shipments of arms to Germany, Italy and Japan and claimed that the failure of the United State* to take sides was playing into the bands of Fascist warmakers.