DICTATORS ASKED FOR PEACE PLEDGES.

Auckland Star, Volume LXX, Issue 89, 17 April 1939, Page 7

DICTATORS ASKED FOR PEACE PLEDGES.

TEN-YEAR RESPITE.

Guarantee Of Independence Of Nations Sought.

POINTED MESSAGE SENT.

United Press Association.—Copyright.

(Received 12 noon.)

LONDON, April 16,

Officials at White House, says a message from Washington, confirmed that President Roosevelt, in a pointed message on Friday, called on Herr Hitler and Signor Mussolini to give assurances that they planned no further march on independent nations in Europe and the Near East.

Mr. Roosevelt, eays a message from Paris, is reported to have proposed to Herr Hitler and Signor Mussolini longterm peace pledgets. A copy of Mr. Roosevelt's message, which was handed to the French Prime Minister, M. Daladier, points out that war is harmful to victors and vanquished.

It asks Herr Hitler and Signor Mussolini to pledge themselves not to attack any territory, colony or protectorate of France, Belgium, Britain, Palestine, Egypt, Syria, Iraq, Iran, Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Holland, Portugal, Switzerland, Luxembourg, Liechtenstein, Eire, Russia, the Arabias, Spain, Poland, Rumania, Bulgaria, Yugoslavia, Hungary, Greece or Turkey.

If a favourable reply is received, Mr. Roosevelt will aek the dictators to pledge themselves not to go to war for ten yeare, and will other States to give reciprocal guarantees to Italy and Germany. Later Mr. Roosevelt will call an international conference to reduce armaments and settle political disputes. Love for Human Race. "Nothing will persuade peoples that one Power ha« the right or need to inflict the consequences of war on its own peoples and others unless it ie defending its own territory," said Mr. Roosevelt. "We Americans speak not in selfishness, fear or weakness, but ae statesmen, out of love for the human race. I have always been convinced that international problems can be solved round a table.

"You will not misunderstand the frankness with which I send this mesuuge. The heads of Governments in this hour, literally responsible for the fate of humanity in years to come, cannot fail to hear their peoples' praters to be protected from the unforseeable chaos of war. History will hold them accountable for the lives and happiness of all, even unto the least. I hope your anewer will malte it, possible for humanity to lose fear and regain security for many years to come."

The "New York Times" interprets the message not as an appeal "to the better nature and sense of responsibilities which the dictators do not pos«eae," but as a warning "that if they resort to acts of aggression threatening the peace of the world they will find the odds overwhelmingly against them."