MR ROOSEVELT'S INTENTIONS

Press, Volume LXXV, Issue 22768, 21 July 1939, Page 11

MR ROOSEVELT'S INTENTIONS

APPEAL TO NATION UNLIKELY HEATED DISCUSSIONS AT WHITE HOUSE (Received July 20, 10 pjn.) WASHINGTON, July 19. As a result of Mr Roosevelt’s defeat in his efforts to amend the neutrality legislation, his secretary, Mr Stephen Early, made a statement to the press concerning the neutrality situation. ' . ’ “I am certain of one thing,” he said. “From the time of the adjournment until January, when Congress meets again, the President will pray, as never before in his life, that there will be no new crisis in Europe. “But,” Mr Early continued, “the chances are none too good that the world will escape another crisis in the next few months, and there is a possibility of a new flare up in the present summer.” He added that the President, at the present time, did not intend to take the issue to the country.

The chairman of the Senate Foreign Affairs Committee (Senator Key Pittman), in a statement, said: “It is also realised that, should any violent aggression take place by any Government*"'in the near .future, such action would cause members of Congress to alter their present views. The President, in the, event of such aggression resulting in a widespread war, would undoubtedly', call a special session of Congress, not alone to consider the matter of neutrality. If such a war is precipitated—and no one but Herr Hitler would precipitate such a war! —and if Herr Hitler conducts it with brutality, particularly against civilians residing in non-military zones, then there will be no doubt that the humanity of the people of the United States will be incensed, and there will be quite a different sentiment in both the country and Congress.” Mr Borah's Challenge The discussions at the White House became extremely heated, especially the exchanges between Senator W. E. Borah and the Secretary of State (Mr Cordell Hull). Mr Borah apparently challenged the authenticity or candour of the “confidential reports” of which Mr Hull and Mr Roosevelt spoke so much as showing the threat of a further crisis in Europe. Mr Borah said he considered his own sources of information just as reliable as those of the Department of State, whereupon Mr Hull took offence and everybody, including the President, spoke at once. The Vice-President (Mr J. N. Gamer) stopped a useless discussion by asking whether there were enough votes to force the Bloom Neutrality Bill to the floor of the Senate, and everybody was compelled to agree that there were not. The President then laughed, and everybody regained his good humour. The meeting broke tip in a very friendly way, Mr Gamer seeing to it that Mr Borah and Mr Hull shook hands cordially before parting. A further canvass of the Congressional situation disclosed that there was little likelihood of action during the present session of Copgress regarding; the Japanese embargo aggpowla. " ' . ■■■