Manawatu Evening Standard. MONDAY, APRIL 17, 1939. A GREAT APPEAL.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LIX, Issue 116, 17 April 1939, Page 6

Manawatu Evening Standard. MONDAY, APRIL 17, 1939. A GREAT APPEAL.

A cheat act of statesmanship has been performed by President ltoosevelt in addressing a proposal to Germany and Italy to pledge themselves not to attack thirty-one States in Europe and Asia, including Britain and Prance. It recalls the magnificent gesture of Mr Chamberlain in visiting the Puelirer rather than that peace should be broken. Then the dark clouds of international tension lay heavily on the world; to-day the situation is still serious, and Mr Roosevelt, as President of a great democratic nation, wants to see unrest, suspicion, and the threat of war removed. Speaking with great eloquence at the sesquicentenary celebration of George Washington Mr Roosevelt pledged the United States’s economic support in defending TV estern Hemisphere nations against foreign aggression. This message was addressed to the Americas, but it had a ring of warning to the dictator States that the world has become so narrowed to-day as to bring the United States so close to Europe that a conflagrar tion there must involve the former. Now Mr Roosevelt has felt it incumbent upon himself to make what is an historic appeal to Herr Hitler and Signor Mussolini to cease aggression for at least a minimum period of 10 years and a quarter of a-century ‘“if we dare look so far ahead.” The President has assumed the role of mediator at a time when a great world figure is perhaps needed to do so, and if Italy and Germany will agree to give the pledge he will pursue the matter with each State he mentions. At the same time he proposes that the nations between them should take up tlie matter of relief from armaments and greater international trade upon which world peace and prosperity depend. Mr Roosevelt, like Mr Cham berlain, is a great believer in the round table method of settling problems. So in furtherance ot this ideal be has made bis historic proposal to the two men who alone can decide whether there is to be further aggression with its threat to world peace. Of late Mr Chamberlain’s speeches have had a very bitter reception in Germany, while the Duce’s publicity artist has been scornful and satirical. There can, however, be

no suspicion that Mr Roosevelt desires to see the downfall of the new Germany or of Italy. He cannot be accused of wishing to see the axis Rowers encircled, tin; accusation that is levelled against Britain and France. In fact he asks no more from Germany and Italy than from the States he desires to see protected from aggression. The answer will be awaited with the greatest expectation. Ail early message from Berlin suggests that the appeal has been “sent to the wrong address,” and in official German newspapers it has been coldly received. In a country where the Pi ■ess has no fredeom this is the natural consequence, but the German people, through the British Broadcasting Corporation, have been able to learn fully of the appeal. Though in subjection to their rulers they in the final analysis hold the power in Germany, and it is right they should know every fact. If Herr Hitler and Signor Mussolini refuse to meet President Roosevelt's appeal in the magnificent spirit in which it is made they may yet find it most difficult to explain their attitude satisfactorily to their own people, particularly if it creates still move tension.