WHAT COURSE?

Auckland Star, Volume LXX, Issue 110, 12 May 1939, Page 9

WHAT COURSE?

AMERICA AND WAR.

EXTREMELY HARD TO SAY. If AXIOM SYMPATHETIC- BUT. Though the United State* w*r universally sympathetic towards the democracies in the present time of world unrest, it was extremely hard io say what America would actually do in the event, of a world war. This wae the view expressed on hoard the Mariposa thie morning by' Mr. H. E. Downing, head of the Times Mirror Publishing Company, publishers of the "Tjor Angeles Times."

Mr. Downing said that America had abandoned it» idea of splendid isolation. The great advances in all deportments of communication had made that inevitable. Amerk>a realised that it had a place and responsibilities in the world. A democracy itaelf, it was in full accord with the aspirations of other democracies. But Americana were opposed to war. They hated the possibility of being Involved in another, and that was why he said it was hard to say what hie country would do .should war 'break out.

He added that in America no significance whs attached to the' recent moving of the American fleet from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean. It was taken to be merely ordinary nival manoeuvres. Tt was true, however, that the people of the Pacific Coast felt 7iiore secure when it was there..

Friendly to Japan.

Japan, as was Germany, wae a

potential enemy. All democratic countries believed that, he thought; but at the present time the United States felt friendly towards Japan.

The American people generally, he Haul, had the greatest confidence in Mr. Chamberlain. "They feel," he said, "that in him there is a sure hand at the wheel. They feel, too, that he stands for the continuance of wcrld peace. They remember and admire what he did last September. There are those who criticise.him, but, in the main, what I have said is a reflection of public opinions."

Americnn feeling was particularly friendly towards Britain; and that wa'fl one reason that the visit to America of the King and Queen would be espfeially popular. They could be assured of a jrreat welcome wherever they went.

The American President, Mr. Poosevelt, he thought, had retained his popularity with the great bulk of the p?ople, especially the wage-earners. At the same time, it had to be remembered that at the last elections, 17,0)0,000 people had voted for the Republican candidate, Mr. Landon. It vm, however, impossible to pursue a course that was endorsed by everyone.

11,000,000 Receiving "Dole."

Mr. Downing spoke of the Works Progress Administration, known fpmilarly in American at the "W.P.A." It was equivalent to the "dole" , in PKtain. At present 11.000.000 were receiving money under the W.P.A. Though dophtlv*9 it was an necessary in America as the dole had lieen in Britain yert it had the great objection that it tended to break down the morale of those in receipt of it. "It is certain thnt the United States cannot go on indefinitely under this camouflaged 'dole' plan," be said. "The great objective is to absorb the unemployed into productive ind.istry. Mr. Roosevelt claims'to be ma king thU effort.

"On this point electors are divided. Some think he is making the effort and that he will succeed. Others thii'V he will not succeed. It remains to be seen."

Mr. Downing, who is accompanied bv Mr«. Downing, is making the round trip in the Mariposa. He is down this w*v "to see how things are."