MR. WALLACE SPEAKS

Greymouth Evening Star, 23 September 1946, Page 5

MR. WALLACE SPEAKS

RELIEVED OF SILENCE OBLIGATION WORK FOR CAUSE OF PEACE WASHINGTON, Sept. 21. ■ “Winning the peace is more important than high public office or any consideration of party politics,” said Mr. Henry A. Wallace, in a nationwide broadcast. “I believe firmly .that there is nothing more important I can do than work in the cause of peace and the action taken by the President relieves me of any obligation to be silent about foreign policy until after the Paris Conference.” Mr. Wallace yesterday resigned his position as Secretary of Commerce at the request of Mr. Truman, who said that there was no change in the foreign policy of the United States. “I feel that our present foreign policy does not recognise the basic realities which led to the two world wars and which now threaten another —this time an atomic war,” Mr. Wallace continued. He emphasised that he would continuously and wholeheartedly advocate the principle of living in one world, without which there could be no peace. He was also opposed to all forms of imperialism. Any regionalism necessary to give practical form to the world of economic and political realities must take into account the small nations’ rights. Mr. Truman’s “Bungling”

Most Congressmen and other prominent persons approved of the dropping of Mr. Wallace, but the former Secretary of the Interior (Mr. Harold Ickes), who earlier broke with Mr. Truman, said the President was not very brave in dismissing Mr. Wallace. He added that Mr. Truman had humiliated himself by first agreeing to the speech and afterwards throwing Mr. Wallace to the lions. Senator Claude Pepper (Democrat, Florida) said that Mr. Wallace’s expulsion would have far-reaching effects upon the country and Democratic Party. The Railroad Brotherhood president (Mr. Whitney) said that Mi. Wallace was now available to lead a movement for sound, progressive government.

Senator Walter F. George, a prominent Southern Democrat and formerly chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said that Mi. Wallace’s speech left no choice but resignation, which, however, could not wholly repair the damage suffered. Senator Norse (Republican, Oregon) said that Mr. Truman more than anyone else was responsible for the bungling. Mr. Trunin approved Mr. "Wallace’s speech, but “I suspect he did not understand it after reading it,” he said.

“Breath of Fresh Air.” Mr. Robert Mason, president of the National Association of Manufacturers, said that Mr. Wallace’s resignation would give industry a breath of fresh air. ~ The Paris correspondent of. me New York Times says that in a teletype conversation with Mr. liuman about Mr. Wallace’s S P^ 1 Byrnes said emphatically that he would be forced to return to the United Slates if the President did not immediately offer blanket support for Mr Byrnes’s present foreign policy. The White House unequivocally denied that Mr. Byrnes laid down an ultimatum, either in the teletype conversation or at any other time. NEW YORK STOCK EXCHANGE RECOVERS NEW YORK, Sept. 21. The stock market opened irregularly but strong new buying support entered the market after the news that Mr. Truman had asked Mr. Wallace to resign. Some stocks recovered from one to eight points.